Council demands Sadiq Khan gives London more time to switch to cleaner vehicles in row over ULEZ

A London council leader has called out the Mayor of London as the city braces itself to pay £12.50 a day for driving polluting cars.

Plans to extend London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) sparked criticism from the Councillor for Barking and Dagenham last night who suggested that the cost of living crisis should be better considered. 

The borough leader, Darren Rodwell, said that while the initiative to combat poor air quality should be taken seriously, it ‘must take full account of how people will be affected financially’.

He tweeted last night: ‘As part of the Mayor’s consultation last summer the council raised concerns on behalf of residents and businesses who will be impacted by the expansion of ULEZ.

Councillor for Barking and Dagenham, Darren Rodwell, said that while measures to combat poor air quality should be seriously considered,  the ULEZ ‘must take full account of how people will be affected financially’

‘The government objectives at COP26 through to the funding deal the government agreed with Transport for London, is pushing the expansion forward.

‘A £100m scrappage scheme has been proposed, but we have made the case to TfL that we need a much more comprehensive and generous scrappage and support scheme for outer London, and a greater lead-in time for people to take advantage of any schemes given the cost of living pressures facing people at the moment.

‘I also want to make clear that the council does not believe there is the legal basis to challenge ULEZ expansion, as some other authorities have expressed.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has planned to include all of London’s 32 boroughs in the ULEZ, with drivers having to pay £12.50 per day if their vehicles do not meet emissions criteria

The ultra-low emission zone is to be expanded in August to cover the whole of Greater London – seen here in purple 

Although the ULEZ has been celebrated by as a way to tackle climate change, it has been criticised for putting even more pressure on those grappling with the cost of living crisis

‘We must take air quality seriously, but any initiative must take full account of how people will be affected financially and must do as much as possible to mitigate that.’

Drivers will have to pay £12.50 per day for driving in any of London’s 32 boroughs if their vehicles do not meet emissions criteria.

Darren Rodwell expressed his thoughts on London’s ULEZ expansion on Twitter last night

Heavier vehicles are also to be charged £100, with the ULEZ applying every day of the year except Christmas.

Although the ULEZ has been celebrated by as a way to tackle climate change, it has also been criticised for putting even more pressure on those grappling with the cost of living crisis. 

Barking and Dagenham council is just one of a number of London authorities that have voiced their concerns on the ULEZ expansion. 

Bromley council leader Colin Smith said his borough would work alongside Harrow, Bexley, and Hillingdon to ‘examine the legal basis’ of the ULEZ expansion. 

Croydon, Sutton, Bromley, Bexley, Havering and Kingston have also expressed a willingness to challenge City Hall over the controversial scheme that will see around 200,000 motorists with older vehicles hit with daily £12.50 charges. 

Both Sutton and Harrow have already confirmed they will refuse to sign ‘Section 8’ agreements that will allow TfL to install cameras on roads under council control.