Sadiq Khan wins high court battle over London
Ulez extension
Court dismisses challenge by five councils over
expansion
Gwyn Topham
The high court has dismissed a legal challenge by five
Conservative-led councils against the expansion of London’s ultra-low emission
zone (Ulez).
The zone,
which the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has said is a vital move to tackle toxic
air, is due to be extended throughout the whole of Greater London at the end of
August, making owners of the most polluting cars pay to drive.
The outer
London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Harrow and Hillingdon, along with Surrey
county council, launched legal action in February. At the high court earlier
this month, barristers argued that Khan had failed to adequately consult,
overstepped his powers, and had provided a flawed £110m scrappage scheme.
Drivers of
vehicles that do not meet the Ulez standards – typically petrol cars from
before 2006 and diesels registered before 2015 – have to pay £12.50 a day when
they enter the zone.
Originally
drawn up under the previous mayor, Boris Johnson, the Ulez launched in central
London in 2019, and was expanded to draw about 4 million people into the zone,
up to the North and South Circular roads, in October 2021.
The planned
expansion throughout Greater London has become a significant political issue,
and was seen as the key factor in the Conservatives narrowly winning the
Uxbridge and South Ruislip byelection last week.
According
to Transport for London, only about 6% of vehicles now entering the zone pay a
fee, and an estimated 15% of vehicles driven in outer London are noncompliant.
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