Westminster Report - Leigh-on-Sea

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WESTMINSTER Report by The Rt Hon Mark Francois Member of Parliament for Rayleigh and Wickford – Expanding ULEZ is a blatant tax grab by Sadiq Khan.

WESTMINSTER Report by The Rt Hon Mark Francois Member of Parliament for Rayleigh and Wickford - Expanding ULEZ is a blatant tax grab by Sadiq Khan.

WESTMINSTER Report by The Rt Hon Mark Francois Member of Parliament for Rayleigh and Wickford.

Expanding ULEZ is a blatant tax grab by Sadiq Khan.

The expansion of London’s ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) across the entirety of the capital, to its outer boroughs, is fast becoming one of the liveliest political debates of the moment.

In particular, many of my constituents have raised considerable concerns surrounding the expansion of ULEZ and the financial impact that it will have for those of them who commute and travel into London, by car or van, alongside its obviously detrimental effect to small businesses and tradesmen.

Under current proposals by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, the ULEZ will be expanded to cover all 32 London boroughs by the end of August 2023. After that, drivers in outer London whose vehicles do not meet specified emissions standards will have to pay £12.50 for every day they use their car within the London boundary.

Thus, under these proposals, nearly 700,00 cars will face daily ULEZ charges when the scheme is expanded (according to RAC data.)

Crucially, under the Greater London Authority (GLA) Act 1999, transport within London is devolved to the Mayor of London. Consequently, there is no legal requirement for the Mayor to consult either central or local Government on the decision to expand the ULEZ.

Khan is almost fanatical on the issue. So much so, that during a public Question Time session in March, he even said that those who are against ULEZ were ‘in coalition’ with the far-right and Covid deniers- a clearly ridiculous statement, indeed a dreadful slur.

Yet, it may not be smooth sailing for the London Mayor who is seeking to ram through his proposals, by any means necessary.

A legal challenge to the expansion, proposed by four Conservative led outer London Boroughs (Bexley, Bromley, Harrow and Hillingdon), will now be heard in the High Court later this summer.

Additionally, a survey commissioned by Khan himself (but which he later tried to downplay), found that 59% of respondents said that the expansion should not be implemented, rising to 80% of business owners and 79% of workers in outer London (the area primarily affected by the expansion.)

These ideas come on top of numerous road closures and/or lane restrictions across London, especially Central London, which have taken place during Mayor Khan’s tenure- as part of his blatantly ‘anti motorist’ agenda.

Many of those who are opposed to the policy see it for what it really is; a cash grab to help fill the blackhole of Transport for London (TFL) finances.

Transport for London is virtually broke. Indeed, it would be effectively bankrupt, had it not been for several years of subsidies by central Government. That’s not to mention Khan’s infamous promise of “zero days of strikes”; we have seen more than 130 strike days on his watch, triple the number under Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson.

Expanding a £12.50 daily charge on boroughs, where people rely on their cars, will rake in £300 million in its first year, alone. The coffers also stand to gain from fining Londoners or Essex residents who drive in £180 every time they fail to pay — potentially raising millions more.

Moreover, a ‘one-size fits all solution’ like ULEZ expansion is a sledgehammer that will hurt working people and businesses.

The Mayor of London does not seem to understand who will pick up the bill for his policies. It is not wealthy Londoners — it is ordinary working people, who are less likely to be able to upgrade their car and more likely to own an older vehicle. The same applies to the many people who live in Essex, too.

It will almost certainly do very little for air quality, yet, it will be economically damaging, and it will hit the poorest, hardest.

Not only will it hit people out of going to work, going shopping, doing the school run, or otherwise going about their daily life, it will place a financial wall around London and hamper people’s freedom of movement.

Even some London Labour MPs are growing increasingly uneasy about these proposals, although most Labour and Lib Dem politicians still support them.

The truth is that it is unlikely Khan will pause his ULEZ plans, and, unless it is stopped by the courts, it will go ahead in August.

However, rest assured that I, alongside many of my fellow Conservative MPs and Councillor’s, will continue to fight against these expansion proposals and Sadiq Khan’s remorseless crusade against motorists.

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