As ULEZ expansion comes into effect, is Gatwick Airport now included in charge zone?

Flying abroad can be expensive enough – will you get hit by the £12.50 charge?

Londoners will know that ULEZ expands to all of Greater London’s boroughs from today (August 29) – but will the boundary change affect your holiday plans from Gatwick Airport?

The capital’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone essentially means cars that don’t meet emissions standards pay a £12.50 per day charge for driving through it, in a bid to tackle air pollution.

Follow all the latest ULEZ updates on our live blog as the zone expansion rollouts today.

As one of London’s major airports, is Gatwick located inside the new zone? And do people driving to Gatwick – from anywhere in the UK – now face a charge on arrival?

Here’s all you need to know.

Is Gatwick Airport part of ULEZ zone?

Many will be relieved to hear that Gatwick Airport is not part of the ULEZ zone.

Though the zone has expanded to include all of Greater London, Gatwick Airport is located in West Sussex – near the town of Crawley – so a good distance from the capital.

If you’re not travelling through London to reach Gatwick, you therefore won’t be hit by a surprise ULEZ charge of £12.50 per day for non-compliant cars.

However, if you’re driving through Central London or a Greater London borough to reach Gatwick, then unluckily you will pass through ULEZ areas on your way to the airport.

It’s wise to be aware of the current ULEZ zone – see our ULEZ boundaries map here.

if you want to check if your home address or another location falls under ULEZ, you can use Transport for London’s online checker here.

Which London airports require you to pay the ULEZ charge?

Heathrow Airport is now located inside the ULEZ zone, as of the August 29 expansion.

So, pulling up into Heathrow from any direction – even if you’re just dropping someone off – will mean you’re in the ULEZ area and will have a £12.50 charge to pay if your car isn’t ULEZ compliant or exempt from the rules.

London City Airport has always been located inside the ULEZ boundary, so no changes there.

People who like to fly from Stansted or Luton airports will be pleased to know that they aren’t located in the ULEZ zone.

You won’t be hit by the charge unless you have to drive through the Greater London to reach them.

MORE : ULEZ expansion LIVE: Sadiq Khan’s controversial rollout starts today amid protests in London

MORE : Just how polluted is the air in London? Check the air pollution levels in your area as ULEZ expands

MORE : Could you avoid paying ULEZ if you live in the zone? Discounts and exemptions explained

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