Major anti-Ulez boost for campaigners following High Court victory

Anti-Ulez protesters receive major boost as councils win court victory in battle against Sadiq Khan’s hated £12-a-day plan ahead of massive demo today

• Demonstrators will meet up outside London Bridge station at 12 Noon 
• Phil Elliot of UK Unites said there will be further anti-ulez protests this summer 

Four London councils and a fifth in the Home Counties have secured a victory in their campaign against London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s decision to expand the Ulez zone to the M25 in August. 

The London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Harrow and Hillingdon as well as Surrey County Council are seeking to block the planned expansion. The coalition appealed an earlier High Court decision to block several grounds of their case against the Mayor’s controversial policy. 

This lunchtime, thousands of anti-Ulez campaigners will meet outside London Bridge station in opposition to the plan, which has been described as part of the war on motorists. 

There is growing anger about the plan with several of the newly-installed cameras which will enforce the proposed expansion have been attacked by self-styled vigilantes opposed to the scheme. 

From August 29, petrol cars which do not reach the Euro IV standard or diesels which are not Euro VI compliant will be subject to a £12.50-a-day charge – unless they are deemed classic vehicles. 

However, supercars spewing out up to 380g of CO2 per kilometre will be welcomed into the low pollution zone. 

Phil Elliott of UK Unites, who is organising today’s demonstration said there is growing anger in the population as they realise the impact the expanded Ulez scheme will have on their daily lives. 

He said in future, other policies such as road pricing – where motorists pay for each mile they drive – as authorities seek to find new revenue to make up for the road tax lost by electric cars. 

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is determined to expand his Ulez zone from around the north and south circular roads to the edge of the M25 on August 29. After this, any car crossing the boundary of London’s orbital motorway what is not compliant or exempt from charges will have to pay £12.50 per day

Phil Elliott of UK Unites, pictured, has organised today’s demonstration at London Bridge station. He believes people have to stand up now to oppose the ulez expansion before it is rolled out on August 29

Ahead the demonstration, Mr Elliott said: ‘The reality is that this is an awareness day. There were be placards and leaflets. People are not aware of what is coming. It is becoming more difficult to use cars, they want to stop us from driving.

‘This will kill businesses and make peoples’ lives far more difficult. Not everyone can afford compliant cars as there is a cost of living crisis. Compliant cars have shot up in price while the value of those that are not have plummeted. Many of the people I speak to are losing sleep and suffering from stress.

‘I would far prefer to be driving in my campervan with my partner enjoying life. But if we do not act now and stand up against this plan, the damage will be done. And it’s not just London. Councils across Britain have similar plans.’ 

Mr Elliott said the plan is being touted as an environmental measure to protect public safety, but in reality it is designed to extract more tax from motorists. 

He said he welcomed yesterday’s High Court success, but thinks the only way to stop the expansion is for ordinary people ‘to stand up’ and make themselves heard. 

Thousands of anti-Ulez protesters are meeting up at London Bridge at lunchtime in opposition to Mayor Sadiq Khan’s proposed expansion of the controversial zone on August 29

The councils are seeking to challenge legality of Transport for London and the mayor’s policy, including whether they failed to comply with ‘relevant statutory requirements’. 

Leader of Bromley Council Councillor Colin Smith said: ‘We are obviously delighted at the High Court’s latest decision, which has given further scope to the legal challenge we are mounting as it enables a broader range of legal questions to be posed. 

‘We are already witnessing widespread upset and uncertainty locally over the prospect of the Mayor’s threatened tax against motorists going ahead, due to the damage it will cause to local businesses, jobs and local care networks and anything which assists us in turning this outrageous money making scam away is clearly to be welcomed. 

‘Outer ‘London’ isn’t the same as Inner London and never will be and every day which passes demonstrates ever more clearly that City Hall simply doesn’t understand how those of us in the Outer reaches need to live our lives due to the inferior transport networks and physically longer distances which people need to travel. 

Today’s demonstration will be addressed by Howard Cox, pictured, who is running in next year’s mayoral election with a manifesto pledge to scrap ulez

‘Whilst the legal questions will be examined in Court, there is still time for the Mayor to draw back from expanding his unwelcome plans to extend his camera network to the outer London border ahead of the Court case on July 4 and I once again call on him to do so for the wider good. 

‘If not, we travel on to “Independence Day” bolstered by todays decision in even greater hope than previously.’ 

Leader of Hillingdon Council, Cllr Ian Edwards welcomed the High Court’s decision. 

‘[This] result is another step forward for the coalition and outer-London. These grounds are key to understanding the harm the ULEZ expansion will have on our residents.

CLICK TO READ MORE: Shift workers hit by DOUBLE Ulez charge if they work past midnight 

‘The Mayor estimated that only one in 10 of vehicles in outer London would be non-compliant but this is proving to be widely inaccurate. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders data shows that one in six cars registered in outer London did not meet Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) standards last year, and yesterday a new study by TfL found that half the vans registered in outer London are not compliant.

‘As each day passes the harm that the expansion of ULEZ will cause is becoming clearer and the sheer number of vehicles that don’t meet ULEZ emissions standards in Greater London suggests there will be a massive financial impact on motorists and businesses as well as enormous social harm.

‘We believe that we’ve assembled a valid and robust case to put before the court and have every confidence that the inappropriateness and harm of these expansion proposals will be given the scrutiny, exposure, and ultimately, the expulsion they deserve.’

Mr Elliot continued: ‘The Mayor and TfL have to come and live in the real world. How is someone in the trades supposed to carry knives, hammers and expensive hand tools on the tube?

‘What about someone with a ladder? More evidence is coming through. It is getting worse for Sadiq. I would like to think that he may see the errors of his ways and reverse his decision.’

However, a spokesperson for Mr Khan said: ‘The Mayor has been clear that the decision to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone London-wide was not an easy one. However, around 4,000 Londoners a year die prematurely from air pollution.

‘This is a health emergency and the Mayor is not prepared to stand by and do nothing while Londoners are growing up with stunted lungs and are more at risk of heart disease, cancer and dementia due to our toxic air.

‘We note the Court’s decision and will continue to robustly defend action to expand the ULEZ while continuing with preparations for expansion at the end of August.’

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