London is falling dangerously behind on cleaning up its van fleets, with the city still dominated by polluting diesel vans and slow progress towards van electrification.
A coalition of environmental and health groups, as well as Prof Sir Stephen Holgate, the Royal College of Physicians’ special adviser on air quality, has called for the Mayor to implement a Dutch-style zero emissions zone for freight, where new non-electric vans and trucks would be restricted from entering after a certain date.
The plans are raised in a joint letter to the Mayor of London, as new figures show diesel vans are now the biggest transport source of NOx pollution in inner and central London.
Despite years of commitments on air quality and climate, the number of diesel vans registered by businesses in London is on the rise, and has broken the 100,000 mark for the first time since records began. [1]
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There were only 5,582 battery-electric vans registered by companies in London at the end of 2025, compared with 100,761 diesel vans registered by businesses. That means for every company electric van, there are 18 diesel vans polluting our air.
Just 2% of diesel vans scrapped under the Mayor’s ULEZ scrappage scheme were replaced with an electric van, despite more than £100 million being spent. [2]
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This is in stark contrast to the number of company diesel cars, which has plummeted from an end-of-year high of 78,100 in 2015 to an end-of-year low of 22,400 in 2025. [3]
The findings, based on new Department for Transport data, reveal a stark mismatch between ambition and action, with London meant to be aiming for net zero in 2030 and Sir Sadiq Khan’s manifesto commitment for London to be “the first EV-ready city”.
The sheer number of diesel vans means they are now the single biggest transport source of NOx emissions in central and inner London. These emissions include NO2, a harmful gas which can inflame people’s airways, reduce lung capacity over time, exacerbate existing conditions such as asthma, and increase the risk of developing a lung condition. [4]
It comes as a group of 12 leading campaigners from environmental and health organisations, including Prof Sir Stephen Holgate, Special Advisor to the Royal College of Physicians on Air Quality, and Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah CBE, the founder of the Ella Roberta Foundation, write to the Mayor of London calling for him to implement a Dutch-style zero-emission zone for freight. In this Dutch model, a date is set by a city after which all newly purchased vans must be electric to enter the zone. A different date can be set for HGVs alongside exemptions for those who need them to ensure a just transition. Clean Cities’ analysis has shown these have been effective at driving a rapid shift to electric vans and trucks, offering a blueprint for cleaner, quieter, and healthier urban freight across Europe.
In 2025, the Netherlands introduced 18 zero-emission zones for freight (ZEZ-Fs), with plans to expand to 29 municipalities by 2030. In the first half of 2025, 78.4% of newly registered vans in the Netherlands were battery-electric – far above the EU average of 8.5%.
Electric truck registrations rose by 187.6% year-on-year, representing a quarter of all new electric trucks sold in the EU. [5]
In the letter [6], they write:
“In the Netherlands, zero-emission zones for freight are accelerating the transition away from diesel vehicles and giving businesses the certainty needed to invest in cleaner transport. In this model, a date is set after which all newly purchased vans must be electric to enter the zone. “
“The Dutch model works because it establishes clear, long-term rules and ensures that companies operate on a level playing field. It rewards those businesses of all sizes that have leaned into the transition. It sends a strong signal that the future of urban freight must be zero-emission. “
“London now needs the same level of ambition.”
Zak Bond, Campaign Manager, Clean Cities, said:
“Action to get diesel vans off our streets has not just stalled; it is going in reverse. Crossing the 100,000 mark for company-owned diesel vans should be a wake-up call for London. The alternatives exist, but we need the Mayor of London to step in with the leadership needed to electrify London’s van fleets at the pace the climate and air quality crises demand.
“The Dutch have shown us that zero-emission zones for freight, after a certain date vans have to be electric to enter the zone, can accelerate the shift to cleaner vehicles. It’s time for some Dutch courage in London. ”
Jemima Hartshorn, Founder, Mums for Lungs, said:
“Every day, more dirty diesel vans drive past our schools, nurseries and homes, polluting the air our kids breathe, worsening asthma and setting them up for a lifetime of ill-health. Parents are fed up with hearing promises about the air being clean, when we can smell diesel fumes and when we see our kids coughing.
“Over a hundred thousand children went to hospital struggling to breathe in 2024 alone, and clearly diesel pollution is contributing to this crisis. Our children are missing out on school, dinners at home, and playing with their friends, because the Mayor allows more and more diesel vans on our roads.
“The Mayor must act with the urgency this public health issue demands. We urge him to deliver a zero emission zone for freight in London to ensure that vans are cleaned up, London’s kids can breathe easier, and London’s future can be diesel-free.”
