Sadiq Khan has said that an attempt by a Conservative MP to overturn his expansion of the ULEZ to Outer London is a “pathetic attempt to play politics with the capital”. The Mayor of London added that Londoners would “see through” the move.
Gareth Johnson, the Conservative representative in the House of Commons for Dartford, has tabled the Greater London Low Emission Zone Charging (Amendment) Bill in a bid to give ministers the power to scrap Mr Khan’s enlargement of the £12.50 fee to drive non-compliant vehicles to outer boroughs. This was made live on August 29.
The legislation has now reached its second reading in the chamber, but the proposed law has been blocked. Labour MPs, including Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood, spoke at length against the change to ensure the Bill failed to progress.
READ MORE: Reform UK London Mayor candidate says ULEZ ‘blade runner’ vandals are ‘good, decent, honest people’
Earlier on Friday (March 22), Mr Johnson said: “It’s obvious both [Ms Greenwood] and the Labour Party wish to talk out my Bill to overturn the expansion of ULEZ.” He earlier said the expansion was ‘unfair’ on people who lived outside London as they had “no say on who the London mayor is”, adding: “The border between London and the home counties is not neat.
“People in my constituency live in Kent yet have to go into London just to exit their road. The border straddles some roads. This is a border that cannot be avoided by people and the mayor of London knows this.”
But Mr Khan has hit back, A source close to Mr Khan told MyLondon: “This unprecedented assault on democracy and devolution is a desperate distraction by a Government in its death throes which time and again has shown its contempt for Londoners and their rights. Londoners will see through this pathetic attempt to play politics with the capital.”
Towns and cities ‘need to decide what works best locally’
A London Labour spokesperson added: “The evidence shows that ULEZ is working. 95 per cent of vehicles seen driving on London’s roads are now compliant and don’t need to pay a penny. Thousands of drivers have now received money to scrap their dirty vehicles, helping clean up London’s air and protect Londoners’ health.
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“The Mayor is clear that it’s up to other towns and cities to decide what works best locally for them. Central Government shouldn’t be dictating which clean air schemes are introduced in local areas – whether in Bermondsey, Birmingham, or Bristol.
“Ministers risk fundamentally undermining devolution if they start seizing powers from directly-elected Mayors – in London, the West Midlands or Tees Valley. If these plans become law it would be an unprecedented attack on devolution.”
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