A radical plan to curb air pollution starts Monday in London. It's the first city in the world to introduce an Ultra-Low Emission Zone. Drivers will now face hefty charges if their cars don't meet the minimum environmental standards. And some motorists are objecting, as CGTN's Juliet Mann reports.

It's noisy, it's grimy, it's inner-city normal: No wonder the Mayor of London wants to clean up the Capital's air. But new anti-pollution rules-of-the-road, could mean mini-cab driver Muhammed won't make ends meet.

MUHAMED ALI UBER DRIVER "I feel so frustrated and so angry because it's going to kill my business and I don't know how to feed my family. I bought this car to feed my family. It is the end of my driving, to be honest."

In the Ultra Low Emission Zone, older, more polluting vehicles will have to pay extra to drive in the city centre.

JULIET MANN LONDON "As a motorist in London, I was sent this letter which says my car might not meet the required ultra-low emissions standards. In which case, my options include: buying a new vehicle, paying the extra charge to drive into town, or, finding another, ideally greener way of getting around."

The scheme aims to bring about a change in behavior and encourage people to drive cleaner cars.

SHIRLEY RODRIGUES DEPUTY MAYOR FOR ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, LONDON "So London has illegal levels of air pollution at the moment and two million Londoners are living experiencing that toxic air. The ultra-low emission zone plus some other measures the mayor is bringing in like cleaning up our buses and taxis will mean a 45% emissions reduction in central London and by 2025 for example, no schools will be in areas of illegal pollution from the current 450 we have at the moment."

Transport for London's initial estimates show that tens of thousands of cars, vans, trucks and coaches will be affected daily.

"I've just bought a new car that fits in. It's a 06 Euro engine, to get the emissions down because my car was 11 years old. I picked this up last week and have to deal with it, don't we?"

"In my opinion, it's a money making thing. Nothing to do with the emissions zone at all because if it was so bad they would ban traffic altogether."

"London needs clean air because people are suffering, especially the children and I think we are an example for the rest of Europe. Brilliant, I love it."

While other cities like Paris are trying all-out bans on diesels by 2024, London's approach is one of the most radical anti-pollution schemes in the world.

Yet for Muhamed, it might mean the end of the road. JMA, CGTN, London.