Backlash over mayor’s plan to extend ULEZ

By Joe Talora, Local Democracy Reporter

Sadiq Khan is facing a growing backlash over plans to expand the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ELEZ) to cover the whole of Greater London, with the City Hall Conservatives describing the potential impact as “negligible”.

As the public consultation over the plans comes to an end, City Hall has released new figures that show five million people in outer London would breathe cleaner air as a result of expanding the ULEZ to cover the whole of Greater London.

Of these, 340,000 Londoners would, for the first time, live in areas that meet World Health Organisation targets for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels.

But a TfL document published earlier this month found that the initial expansion of the zone to the north and south circular roads last October had had a “limited” impact on pollution levels, calling into question the potential impact of further expansion.

Conservative Assembly Member Shaun Bailey said the ULEZ is “a story of a mayor seeking a legacy” and called into question the estimated £200 million cost of expanding the zone further.

But the Mayor of London has said it is “unarguable” that the initial expansion of the ULEZ last year has been a success, with 67,000 fewer non-compliant vehicles on the roads and 21,000 fewer vehicles overall.

Mr Khan said it was important to take “bold action” to improve air quality for everyone, not just those living in inner London.”

Pictured top: Sadiq Khan (Picture: london.gov.uk)