I was recently selected as 13th in the Private Members' Bill ballot and I am announcing that my Bill is to overturn the ULEZ expansion in London which came into force in August.
I will present The Greater London Low Emission Zone Charging (Amendment) Bill to Parliament on 6th December 2023.
I am proposing this Bill following the undemocratic expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London to the border of Dartford.
My Bill, which if it is not talked out, will overturn the ULEZ expansion which came into force in August. Anyone who drives a car into London that does not meet the emission rules has to pay £12.50 a day. This is an unfair stealth tax on the people of Dartford and across the South East, hitting the poorest the hardest.
This Bill gives Parliament the opportunity to overturn this expansion. The London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has no mandate for this. Expanding ULEZ was not in his manifesto or in his transport strategy and the consultation on the expansion showed that people did not want it. It impacts people in Kent and other counties around London who cannot vote the London Mayor in or out. It is taxation without accountability and punishes those on lower incomes who can least afford to buy a newer car to avoid the daily charge. There are also no guarantees the standard for meeting the ULEZ threshold will not be changed in the future to include more vehicles.
My proposed Bill is to overturn the ULEZ expansion and ensure the London Mayor cannot impose this unfair tax on the people of Dartford and beyond.