Ealing Conservatives have welcomed the decision that London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Harrow, Hillingdon, together with Surrey County Council were granted High Court permission to challenge the Mayor of London’s plans to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) from August 29 2023 and charge £12.50 a day to use non-compliant cars.
The High Court ruled the five authorities could proceed and challenge Mayor Sadiq Khan on two grounds – the legal basis for ULEZ and if it could be scrapped.
In a statement, Councillor Julian Gallant, leader of Ealing Conservatives said: “Ealing’s Conservative Councillors welcome today’s High Court decision to grant permission for a Judicial Review into London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s proposed extension of the Ultra Low Emission Zone. ULEZ expansion is an ill-conceived attack on low income drivers and traders with which we fundamentally disagree.”
Councillor Gallant added: “There is minimal evidence that the expansion will significantly improve air quality. Five councils have worked hard to achieve this result, an important step in the process of getting Sadiq Khan to drop this unnecessary measure.”
According to City Hall Conservatives, Mayor Khan is also ignoring the results of the official consultation with Londoners views of expansion. It says: “Sadiq Khan plans to go ahead with his London-wide ULEZ expansion despite an overwhelming majority of London voting against it in the official consultation: 60% of responses opposed, 70% of Outer London opposed, 75% of London’s visitors opposed, 80% of Outer London businesses opposed, 80% of Outer London employees opposed and 90% of London’s black cab drivers opposed.”