Sadiq Khan grilled on popularity of ULEZ scheme

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Sadiq Khan’s plans to impose a daily £12.50 tax on all of London’s roads for vehicles has been described as a “hit on working people” as three Labour MPs broke ranks to oppose his scheme. It comes as data the London Mayor used to justify expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), to the entirety of London has been questioned by a Conservative council.

With several borough councils in London refusing to put up the infrastructure for the controversial ULEZ expansion, Dagenham and Rainham MP Jon Cruddas has led attacks on the scheme from Mr Khan’s own party.

Mr Cruddas, who was a policy coordinator for Labour, described himself as “deeply disappointed.”

He told LBC: “The representations I made on behalf of my constituents fell on deaf ears.”

The veteran MP added that this was “another unwelcome hit on working people.”

His comments follow allegations that Mr Khan interfered with the results of a consultation into the ULEZ expansion excluding 5,000 from the Fair Fuel Campaign.

Nevertheless, there was a clear majority against his plans but Mr Khan recently told the Communities and Levelling up Committee in the Commons that he was not obliged to listen.

He said: “There was a consultation not a referendum. There’s a weak ineffectual leader who throws red meat to his party because he is scared of [Nigel] Farage. That’s a referendum.

“A bold leader takes tough decisions. I have taken a tough decision and I stand by it.”

However, Mr Cruddas has been joined by two other London Labour MPs in criticising the ULEZ expansion.

Seema Malhotra, Labour’s shadow business and consumer affairs minister, told LBC: “I am very concerned about the impact the current roll out plans will have on residents and small businesses.”

Labour’s shadow Exchequer secretary Abena Oppong-Asare said: “My concern is we don’t want to be in a situation where people are going to be worse off.”

Mitcham and Morden Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh also raised concerns about the scheme with LBC.

Meanwhile, Mr Khan has been criticised for using allegedly “nonsense” data to support the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London.

In an open letter countering those who are opposed to the plans, Mr Khan claimed toxic air led to the premature deaths of 4,000 Londoners each year.

But Bromley Council leader Colin Smith rubbished the claims, saying the study was “complete nonsense”.

Mr Khan had said: “Research by Imperial College London shows Bromley has the highest premature deaths linked to air pollution with an estimated 204 lives lost in 2019.”

In response, Mr Smith said the study commissioned by City Hall chose to ignore Bromley’s much older population profile.

He said many elderly residents spent “their younger years in inner London experiencing the smogs and smoke-filled pubs of yesteryear”.

The Council Leader added: “It is complete nonsense.”

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The £12.50 ULEZ charge is for vehicles that do not meet up-to-date emissions standards, which currently covers inner London and applies to petrol cars older than 2005 models and diesel older than 2015.

This is in addition to the £15 daily congestion charge for all vehicles in the very centre of London.

The ULEZ expansion – introduced by Mr Khan – will cover all of London, from the centre down to Chessington and up to the M25.

It will be enforced by numberplate recognition cameras, some of which are already in place.

Many drivers are worried about the expansion given it’s taking place in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.

There are also concerns that the new charges could have a negative impact on local businesses, as fewer people will want to take car trips.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “These councils are denying the science in order to justify their opposition to clean air policies.

“The air quality data used by City Hall is completely robust and is based on the most accurate scientific investigation into the human cost of poor air from globally renowned experts at Imperial College London.

“It is extremely disappointing that these four local authorities refuse to accept the categorical proof that toxic air really is a matter of life and death.

“Around 4,000 Londoners die prematurely every year as a result of poor quality air, with those in Outer London some of the most vulnerable due to their age and therefore hardest hit.

“Sadiq refuses to sit back and do nothing when lives are being lost and urges these local authorities to support his plans to bring cleaner air to every Londoner – wherever they live in the capital.”

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