Sadiq Khan‘s figures on the impact of London’s controversial Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) are “trumped up nonsense”, mayoral election rival Susan Hall has claimed.
The Mayor of London hailed the “remarkable progress” made in improving London’s toxic air during his tenure after a report showed roadside pollutants falling faster in the capital than anywhere else in Britain.
As seen by the Guardian newspaper, the report from the Greater London Authority and Transport for London (TfL) attributed much of the improvement to ULEZ.
That scheme now covers the whole of London and sees the owners of more polluting vehicles pay a £12.50 daily charge to drive in the capital.
The research shows nitrogen dioxide pollutants fell by 49 percent between 2016 and 2023, according to the Guardian. It also reveals NO2 levels were lower last year than in 2020, when there the UK was under lockdown.
Ms Hall, who has pledged to scrap ULEZ if elected mayor, said Mr Khan’s “disastrous” expansion of the scheme has hit families, small business owners and charities with a charge they can’t afford.
She told GB News: “The figures he is using are trumped-up nonsense. Why? Because the real impact report he has decided to hide until after the election.
“It is a joke, but no one is laughing. I will listen to Londoners and scrap the ULEZ expansion on day one of my Mayoralty, no ifs no buts.”
Her remarks came on the day Mr Khan said he regrets the fact voters in London won’t be able to see data on ULEZ’s specific air quality impacts ahead of the May 2 vote.
TfL’s Chief Customer and Strategy Officer Alex Williams told the Evening Standard a six month report will be published in May or June, as the report required a “huge” amount of analysis and independent peer review by experts.
He told the publication: “It’s not going to be pre-election, because of the pre-election period… but it will be as soon as we can after the election. It’s not us hiding it. It’s a really complicated piece of analysis.”
Responding to Ms Hall’s claim he is hiding the real impact report, Mr Khan told the Evening Standard pre-election rules which begin on March 19 mean key findings would have to wait until after Londoners cast their votes.
The report published on Friday (March 8) reported by the Guardian shows London’s cleaner air came despite the capital seeing more than a million people added to its population.
Overall air pollution concentrations have fallen by 65 percent in central London since 2016.
They fell by 53 percent in inner London and 45 percent in outer London over the same period, according to the report.
The report reportedly fails to mention the potential impact of the Silvertown Tunnel, which is currently being built between Greenwich and Newham in east London.
Campaigners have long argued the new tunnel will increase pollution, though City Hall insists it will ease congestion and lead to improved bus services.
Mr Khan told the Guardian: “Every Londoner should be proud of the remarkable progress we’ve made in improving our air quality since 2016. Together we’ve cut roadside nitrogen dioxide pollution in half and achieved the lowest annual levels on record.
“London is leading the way, cleaning up our air at a much faster rate than the rest of the UK. Clean air matters for so many reasons – helping to increase children’s life expectancy, reduce hospital admissions for asthma and serious lung conditions, and enable people to lead longer, healthier lives.”
Express.co.uk has approached the Mayor of London’s Office.
