With London offering a £2,000 scrappage incentive to encourage city dwellers to scrap their oldest cars that won't be compliant with the expanding ULEZ ultra low emission zone, used car dealerships could be poised to tempt them with cheap replacement runabouts.

The ULEZ expansion has been criticised by some as forcing London's lowest paid workers and commuters out of their cars. But for just a few thousand pounds per unit, dealers could target London's scrappage beneficiaries and get them back in four wheels for relatively modest outlay.  

Some of the most affordable and attractive ULEZ-compliant Euro 4 petrol cars to tempt buyers, according to AM's counterparts at Parkers, include:

• Alfa Romeo 147 1.6TS (2001-2007) 
• Alfa Romeo Mito (2009-2018)
• Audi A3 (1996-2003)
• BMW 1 Series (2004-2011)
• Ford Fiesta 1.6 Zetec S (2004-2017)
• Ford StreetKa (2003-2006)
• Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2005-2012)

And for car buyers with bigger budgets, ideal younger used car stock for franchised dealerships includes:

• Ford Fiesta
• Hyundai Ioniq
• Kia NIro
• Skoda Octavia hybrid
• Toyota RAV4 hybrid
• Toyota Yaris

The London Ultra Low Emission Zone – ULEZ – is an effort to improve air quality in the nation’s capital. It aims to encourage drivers to adopt newer cars with better emission controls by enforcing a charge on older vehicles that emit higher levels of pollution,

From August 29, 2023, London’s ULEZ will encompass every borough, extending as far as the borders of Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Kent and Hertfordshire.

Drivers entering the area are charged for doing so if their vehicle does not meet certain emissions standards.

For cars and light commercial vehicles that don’t meet the correct emissions standards, it costs £12.50 per day to enter the London ULEZ, and the charges apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The London mayor’s office believes there are around 200,000 non-compliant vehicles being driven regularly in London. From the end of August, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras will capture the details of cars as theyenter and exit the ULEZ area, and non-compliant ones must pay or face receiving a ULEZ Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), which is currently £160, though this will be halved to £80 if drivers pay within the first 14 days.