The National Health Service is reportedly having to spend £65 million to buy ambulances that meet ULEZ requirements in London.
The Mail on Sunday says Freedom of Information requests sent to NHS ambulance services in the South of England reveal the agreements made with Transport for London that exempt them from the expanded Ulez for a short period while their fleet is made compliant.
Each vehicle costs £140,000 to replace. The South East Coast Ambulance Service has until October 2025 to replace 279 vehicles.
The London Ambulance Service said 27 per cent of its frontline fleet is not compliant, so 255 vehicles need replacing.
The report quotes a spokesman for London Mayor Sadiq Khan as saying: “The Ulez is about saving the NHS money in the long term.
“If no further action is taken to reduce air pollution, the cost to the NHS and social care system in London is estimated to be £10.4 billion by 2050.”
