Saturday 26 November 2022 06:05 PM Residents blast Sadiq Khan's plan to expand £12.50-a-day ULEZ clean air zone trends now

Residents in Sadiq Khan's new Ulez zone have blasted the London mayor's plan to expand the clean air zone to hit tens of thousands more drivers, covering all of Greater London from next August. 

Hundreds of thousands more drivers face a daily fee of £12.50 for using London's roads after the mayor announced he will expand the zone to boost air quality. It will now stretch more than 30 miles from Uxbridge to Upminster.

Stuart Weller, 63, lives in Uxbridge, which will soon fall into the new zone. He said: 'I have real sympathy for the people who are going to have to pay more.

'They should not be bringing it in. So many people are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, particularly younger people, and now isn't the right time to do it.

'I wouldn't be against it at some time in the future when the benefits have been fully established but now is not the right time.

'I am worried it will affect businesses and high streets. Unfortunately, the mayor lives on another planet and he doesn't really understand the struggles people face.'

Lee Roddy, 55, who works at RAF Northolt and lives in Uxbridge said: 'I think it is disgraceful, particularly when the cost of living is going up.

'I don't drive in my job and I try to avoid driving into London, but I am all against it. People just can't afford to pay £12.50 a day.

'They are saying it is to protect the environment, but the real reason is to raise money.

'They always seem to pick on motorists. They are charging people now to park at Heathrow even if they are just there for a few seconds.

Transport for London (TfL) estimates that on an average day about 160,000 cars and 42,000 vans would be liable to pay the £12.50 Ulez fee once the area is expanded. 

It will cost those who drive in the area every day £4,500-a-year if their vehicle does not meet the requirements.

But transport officials believe that by the end of next year the expansion of the scheme will have encouraged tens of thousands of those drivers to switch to vehicles that comply with the minimum emissions standards or use other modes of getting around such as walking, cycling or public transport.

Richard Jeary, 73, a retired lorry driver from Uxbridge said: 'They are just grabbing money. They are just taking money and that is all it is.

'The mayor is just trying to get back money they have lost.

'I have four relatives who live outside London and they are all going to have to pay now. It is going to be harder for us to see one another.'

Solicitor Raman Rai, 48, said: 'I am not in favour of it. I understand the need to protect the environment but we are in an economic crisis so they should hold off and look at other ways to reduce emissions.

'They could reduce emissions by promoting more bikes and electric vehicles.

'I am worried businesses will suffer because it is an extra tax. The zone needs to stay where it is and it is just a stealth tax.

'I think the mayor needs to do more studies on whether it should be expanded. They did a consultation and people said they didn't want it.

'It was a flawed consultation anyway and people were only allowed to respond to it for a very narrow window.'

Madalin Petrachi, 25, an engineering student from the town said: 'I am looking to buy a car in the near future.

'I didn't know about this until now but it is really sad that we will all be charged.

'They are thinking about the environmental crisis but they are also trying to raise money from people.'

Mr Khan said extending Ulez to cover the whole of the capital from August 29 next year is 'one of the toughest decisions' he's had to take but that it will give five million Londoners cleaner air to breathe.

The scheme, which operates at all times except Christmas Day, is currently limited to the area within the North and South Circular roads.

Motorists have criticised the move on social media, which will cost commuters £3,250-a-year and comes as families are already facing soaring grocery, energy and fuel bills.

Min Palmer, 58, a financial adviser from Uxbridge said: 'I am not a big fan of it all because it is just another reason to charge people.

'Zones always seem to be expanding and we are just being charged more and more.

'It is not the right thing to do in a cost-of-living crisis at all and it could mean people don't come here to shop.

'Our town centre needs a boost and not a fall in footfall.'

Adam Ramswell, 32, a gas engineer from Egham in Surrey said: 'My vehicle doesn't fall within it, but it is definitely a bad thing.

Speaking from Uxbridge High Street, he added: 'People need to be able to get out and about. The further into London you go there is less of a need to have a car but as soon as you go into zones four to six you need a car to get out and about.

'You can't be doing this when people are already struggling with the cost of living anyway.'

Georgia Young, 25, from Hillingdon said: 'They are just trying to make more money. Some people won't be able to get a new car and they will still be affected.

'Anyone who is earning the minimum wage will just keep paying the money to go in because they can't afford a new car.'

The ULEZ expansion is only the latest action in Sadiq Khan's war on motorists, including:

Whether or not a vehicle is liable for the £12.50-a-day charge depends on how much nitrogen dioxide it emits.

For diesel cars and vans to avoid the charge they must generally have been registered from 2016, while most petrol models registered from 2006 are exempt.

Drivers can check the status of their vehicle by entering its registration number on TfL's website.

Mr Khan said air pollution is making Londoners 'sick from cradle to the grave', with illnesses such as cancer, lung disease, dementia and asthma.

He described the Ulez as 'transformational' and claimed extending it will mean 'five million more people will be able to breathe cleaner air and live healthier lives'.

It comes despite fierce opposition, with an independent report showing that four times the amount of people told Tfl they opposed the move than supported it.

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