Labour’s ULEZ expansion across Outer London is crippling local businesses and isolating vulnerable members of our community. Banstead, Nork, Chipstead and Woodmansterne are particularly hard hit, due to their proximity to the London Borough of Sutton. The expansion is a disaster for working people, who are penalised for commuting to work or simply going about their daily lives.
Not everyone can afford to upgrade their vehicle. This is not helped by the fact that Surrey residents are excluded from the Labour Mayor’s scrappage scheme. The only option for many is to pay the charge or not make the journey at all. And sadly, some are forced to choose the latter. I have heard heart breaking stories from individuals who can no longer visit family and friends anymore. I have also heard from businesses and charities that are now having to limit the services/support they provide as a direct result of the unaffordable daily charge.
I have been very vocal about my opposition to ULEZ expansion and the £12.50 daily charge, but it’s important to me that I hear directly from residents on this issue. So, Cllr Nadean Moses and I recently did a survey in Banstead Village asking whether residents were for or against ULEZ expansion. A whopping 88% of respondents were against.
So, the key question now is, how do we get this unfair tax scrapped? The best way is through the ballot box. In a few weeks, on 2nd May 2024, London residents get the chance to elect a new Mayor. If the Conservative candidate, Susan Hall, is elected, she has committed to scrapping ULEZ expansion on day 1. Unfortunately, as Surrey residents, we don’t have a vote in this election; we can only hope that the residents of London take this opportunity to say no to ULEZ expansion and Sadiq Khan’s myriad of other failings.
In the meantime, Conservative MPs are continuing the good fight. Gareth Johnson, the MP for Dartford, put forward a Private Members Bill which would have the effect of overturning the most recent expansion of the zone and putting in place restrictions on any future expansion. Importantly, the Government announced their support for it. On 22nd March 2024, the second reading took place but unfortunately efforts to pass the legislation were stalled by Labour members who “talked out” the bill to avoid a vote. It's incredibly disappointing that Labour MPs aren't listening to residents.
But reassuringly, Gareth is not giving up and he has said “This is however, not the end. The fight to overturn the ULEZ expansion continues!”. And I too share the same aim and will do all I can to get this unfair tax on free movement scrapped.
To read more about why ULEZ expansion doesn’t meaningfully improve air quality, please read my earlier article here.
