Croydon can’t afford to join Judicial Review against ULEZ plans

By Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter

Croydon council does not have enough money to join a legal fight against the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expansion launched by five other local authorities, but still plans on refusing to allow cameras to be installed.

Bexley, Bromley, Harrow, Hillingdon borough councils plus Surrey County council have announced they are seeking a judicial review against the roll out of the £12.50 a day charge for the most polluting cars to cover the whole of London.

The coalition of councils wants to question the legality of how the decision for the expansion was made. 

However, City Hall and Transport for London (TfL) are yet to be served with relevant legal documents, a spokesperson has claimed.

Despite publicly coming out against August’s expansion of the zone the mayor of Croydon, Jason Perry, said the council does not have the money to join in the legal action.

In November, the council was forced to issue its third bankruptcy notice in the space of two years. The financial woes mean Croydon residents will be hit with a huge 15 per cent increase in their council tax bill from April.

The Croydon mayor said: “We have been working really closely with the other boroughs all the way through.

“We are supporting the other London boroughs, but because of our financial situation we cannot commit to financing a judicial review at this time.”

For TfL to install the 2,750 cameras needed for the expanded ULEZ, individual boroughs will need to give permission for them to be installed.

Mayor Perry said Croydon council will refuse to sign agreements with TfL to allow the body to install cameras on infrastructure it owns.

Teresa O’Neil, leader of Bexley council, said: “We have been clear from the start that we believe air quality is important but that ULEZ is the wrong solution. By wanting to expand ULEZ to outer London boroughs it appears that the Mayor’s message is you can pollute as long as you can afford the £12.50.  

“We believe he should give the monies that he has allocated to ULEZ to the boroughs who actually understand outer London and the transport connectivity problems our residents face to come up with innovative solutions that will deliver better, more practical results.  

Cllr Colin Smith, Leader of Bromley Council, added: “In Bromley, this socially regressive tax directly threatens jobs, the viability and availability of small businesses, and causing significant damage to vital care networks, as well as creating a completely avoidable spike in the cost of living locally, at a time when some households are already struggling to make ends meet.

A spokesman for the mayor of London said: “While we’re aware of media speculation that an application for a Judicial Review has been made by four boroughs and Surrey County Council, neither the GLA nor TfL have been served with their claim. We will be defending any challenge to this vital scheme.

 “The Mayor urges the councils involved to abandon this costly and unnecessary legal challenge and instead focus on the health of those they represent.”

Pictured top: ULEZ sign (Picture: Harrow council)