Sadiq Khan denied he was facing a Ulez expansion backlash from Londoners
(Picture: PA)Mayor Sadiq Khan has denied he is facing a public “backlash” against his expansion of the ultra-low emission zone – as a Labour borough chief became the latest to call for a delay.
Darren Rodwell, the leader of Barking and Dagenham council and an influential figure in the London Labour party, said there was a need for a “greater lead-in time” and a more generous scrappage scheme than the £110m currently proposed.
He becomes the 10th suburban borough leader – and the first from Labour - to raise concerns about the Ulez expansion.
The zone is due to widen to the Greater London boundary on August 29, with about 200,000 Londoners likely to have to pay the £12.50-a-day levy because their vehicles breach the mayor’s clean air rules.
Mr Rodwell’s intervention came only hours after Mr Khan said he was expanding the Ulez on behalf of the “silent majority” of Londoners who deserved cleaner air.
The mayor insisted he would not be derailed by “vested interest” lobby groups, such as pro-motoring campaigners.
The growing political pressure could force the mayor to consider a delay – but that would cause knock-on problems for Transport for London, which has budgeted to receive £200m in income from the expanded Ulez in its first 12 months.
Income from the Ulez, like the congestion charge and low emission zone, which applies to lorries, is reinvested in public transport in London.
Together the road schemes are budgeted to generate more than £1billion for TfL in 2023/24, and almost £3 billion over the next three financial years.
By law, their primary purpose must be to tackle pollution or congestion, not to generate cash.
At a meeting of the London Assembly at City Hall on Thursday, Mr Khan was asked by Tory assembly member Nick Rogers: “Have you been surprised by the level of the public backlash against the expansion plans?”
Mr Khan replied: “I’m not sure there is a public backlash.
“I’m not surprised at all when I see who is funding some of the campaigning.
“I think it’s important to have these conversations and to address the issues. Often it’s worth reminding all of us that the silent majority aren’t as well funded as the vocal minority. Vested interest doesn’t often side with the silent majority.
“One of my jobs is to speak for the silent majority, particularly when they are vulnerable and otherwise voiceless.”
Mr Khan said he distinguished Londoners who were “genuinely worried” about the impact of the expansion from “politicians in the pocket of vested interest”.
He was referring to a report by the Byline Times website that the Fair Fuel UK campaign group, which opposes the Ulez expansion, is funded by the Road Haulage Association.
Some Tory boroughs have sent the mayor a “pre-action letter” warning they may apply for a judicial review of his decision last November to expand the Ulez unless he backs down.
There is a growing clamour for Mr Khan to delay the widening to allow more time for Londoners to trade in their old cars.
Applications open for the £110m scrappage scheme next Monday, January 30. It will offer low income Londoners £2,000 grants to replace non-compliant cars and £5,000 for non-compliant vans.
There will also be help for charities and small businesses. It is likely that there will only be enough cash for about 30,000 grants.
Lots of people have asked me about ULEZ so I want to tell you where I stand. pic.twitter.com/YUtr2HWnbG
— Cllr Darren Rodwell (@CllrDRodwell) January 26, 2023
Mr Rodwell said Barking and Dagenham had “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”.
He said his council did not believe there were legal grounds to challenge the Ulez expansion, and said toxic air needed to be taken seriously.
But he added: “Any initiatives must take full account of how people will be affected financially and must do as much as possible to mitigate that.”
