The Mayor of London has confirmed the expansion of the capital's ultra-low emissions zone to the South Circular from 2021.

Tens of thousands of cars and vans will face daily pollution charges of £12.50 in a bid to lower emissions in the city.

Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced the ultra-low emission zone being brought in for central London in April 2019 will be expanded to the North and South Circular roads from October 2021.

The new ULEZ will cover an area 18 times larger than the central London ultra-low emission zone and will affect large numbers of polluting vehicles that don’t comply with strict emission standards.

Recent studies by the University of Oxford have shown the health damage from cars and vans costs £6 billion annually to the NHS and society, with the bill from London vehicles totalling £650 million a year.

The expanded zone will be managed in the same way as the central London ULEZ, which will operate on top of the congestion charge, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

What vehicles will be included in the new daily charge?

• Motorbikes that do not meet Euro 3 standards

• Petrol cars and vans that do not meet Euro 4 standards (roughly the equivalent to not being more than fifteen years old for cars in 2021)

• Diesel cars and vans that do not meet Euro 6 standards (roughly the equivalent to not being more than six years old for cars in 2021)

Across London diesel buses, coaches and lorries will need to meet the Euro 6 standard.

Mr Khan said: “Tackling London’s lethal air and safeguarding the health of Londoners requires bold action.

"Air pollution is a national health crisis and I refuse to stand back as thousands of Londoners breathe in air so filthy that it shortens our life expectancy, harms our lungs and worsens chronic illness.

“I promised hard-hitting measures to tackle our shameful air pollution and today City Hall is confirming the next stage of our plans to expand the ultra-low emission zone up to the North and South Circular roads."