A plea to exempt bereaved families and others from punishing charges linked to the extension of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) from Monday has failed.

The area covered by the ULEZ is being extended out to the south and north circular roads, which will bring in the Mortlake Crematorium and Townmead Recycling Centre.

Drivers with older, more polluting cars, will be required to pay £12.50 for entering the ULEZ from October 25.

Residents whose homes fall inside the ULEZ zone, which will includes Barnes, Mortlake and parts of Kew, will also have to pay the charge if taking older polluting cars onto the road.

The scheme is being implemented by the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who points out that most cars – four in five – will not have to pay the ULEZ charge because their emission levels are below the permitted limit.

Both Richmond Borough Council and local MPs argued that residents visiting the crematorium and dump should be given exemptions, however the mayor has refused.

Twickenham MP, Munira Wilson, recently wrote to the mayor saying that she thought charging people to drive to a crematorium and graveyard seems 'morally wrong'.

On the decision to include, Townmead, she added: "I am concerned that introducing this charge to access the Recycling Centre could lead to a rise in fly tipping with all of the associated environmental, safety and cost implications."

The ULEZ rules apply 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year, except Christmas Day. Failure to pay will generate a penalty notice fine of £160, which is reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days.

There will be road signs at every entry point and the system will be policed using cameras, which will read the number plate and check automatically to see if a charge should apply.

Drivers can pay in advance or on the day of travel. Those who forget have up to midnight three charging days after entering the ULEZ pay the charge.

Drivers can register for Auto Pay via the Transport for London website which will bill people automatically when they enter the zone.

Conservatives on the London Assembly argue that the poorest Londoners are being made to clean up the capital's air quality.

Speaking last week, the mayor defended the scheme, saying: "Our city now leads the world in tackling air pollution and climate change, but there's no room for complacency."

He labelled the ULEZ a 'clear success', citing the near 50 percent reduction in nitrogen dioxide in central London since the zone was created.

Assembly Member Leonie Cooper (Labour) said: "The introduction of the ULEZ and its upcoming extension is one of the biggest public health interventions we have seen in the capital. Cleaning up our air is a matter of social justice."

Find out about the ULEZ expansion, the vehicles covered and how to pay here.