‘It has come in too quickly’: sense of injustice in Uxbridge on day one of Ulez

Chibuzo, an Uxbridge resident: ‘The scheme is a good idea, but it is coming in too quickly and people can’t afford it.’ Photograph: Andy Hall/The Guardian

In the pedestrianised centre of Uxbridge, there was not a car to be seen. But the people in the leafy outer London constituency had plenty to say about vehicles as the ultra-low emission zone extension came into force on Tuesday.

The borough of Hillingdon, which includes Uxbridge, is one of the outer London areas to which the pollution-busting scheme has been extended. Drivers of the oldest, most polluting vehicles now have to pay a daily charge to drive in the zone (£12.50 for cars and more for older coaches and lorries), although most vehicles are exempt.