A plan to overturn London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) scheme has received major new backing just days before the Bill is heard in Parliament.
Gareth Johnson, Conservative MP for Dartford, will present The Greater London Low Emission Zone Charging (Amendment) Bill to the House of Commons on December 6 in a plan to axe the charge.
The new Bill will give Parliament a chance to overturn the expansion after the Tory MP said London Mayor Sadiq Khan had “no mandate” for the scheme.
FairFuelUK, an industry-leading campaign group has now thrown its weight behind the project as the campaign gathers momentum.
Howard Cox, founder of the group and Reform UK’s London Mayoral Candidate said that ULEZ had “fleeced drivers” and affected “low-income motorists”.
He explained: “I am fully in support of Dartford MP Gareth Johnson’s parliamentary attempt to scrap London’s pure cash-grabbing ULEZ extension. Mayor Khan’s fixation with an alleged air quality improvement scheme that not only needlessly fleeces drivers, sole traders, and low-income motorists, it also rips at least half a £billion out of the Capital’s economy every year.
“It is way past time, hard-pressed Londoners rid themselves of this dishonest opportunistic career politician, who also brings the Labour Party into disrepute. We must support a new Mayor that will scrap ALL of ULEZ for good, and get London moving again.”
The ULEZ charge was expanded to Outer London boroughs back in August with motorists facing a £12,50 per day fee to use their old polluting cars.
However, the scheme faced widespread backlash at the time with hundreds protesting against the new costs. Mr Johnson said the ULEZ charge had “punished those on lower incomes” and has affected those living outside the London radius.
He explained: “My Bill gives Parliament the opportunity to overturn this expansion. The London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has no mandate for this.
“Expanding ULEZ was not in his manifesto or in his transport strategy and the consultation on the expansion showed that people did not want it.
“It impacts people in Kent and other counties around London who cannot vote the London Mayor in or out. It is taxation without accountability and punishes those on lower incomes who can least afford to buy a newer car to avoid the daily charge.
“There are also no guarantees the standard for meeting the ULEZ threshold will not be changed in the future to include more vehicles.
“My proposed Bill is to overturn the ULEZ expansion and ensure the London Mayor cannot impose this unfair tax on the people of Dartford and beyond.”
