Five Conservative councils including Bromley, Bexley, Harrow, Hillingdon and Surrey instigated legal proceedings against the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan over the expansion of ULEZ into outer London Boroughs. The High Court has granted the case to proceed. This is an incredibly successful outcome for the residents of Barking who have continuously expressed their disapproval of the expansion, however, we are disappointed to hear that the Mayor is still proceeding with the expansion which is costing our residents hundreds of millions of pounds. We are calling on the Mayor to abandon his plans for the expansion until the High Court has made its ruling. A very fair request, that we are sure our residents will support.
The Mayor has not been truthful about the expansion, claiming that it will help to improve air quality, despite the report he had commissioned, Jacobs IIA, stating the effect will be "negligible". Cllr Keith Prince AM even asked the Mayor after his 2021 re-election if he had any plans to expand ULEZ to which Mayor Khan replied, "I have no plans to expand ULEZ to Outer London". If he had no prior plans to expand ULEZ, why is he rushing it through? The clear answer is that Mayor Khan has lost control of London and is looking to prop up TFL's finances using a ULEZ expansion which is set to net him £300 Million in the first year.
Mayor Khan has even proposed a new bus route called the Superloop, which will connect outer London Boroughs with Central London but completely bypasses Barking. Our residents will not only not be able to afford the ULEZ charges of £12.50 per day but also have to use the already crowded transport services, which will be hugely detrimental to disabled residents in particular, something Mayor Khan clearly has not thought about.
Now is the best time to join the Conservative Party and help us to fight ULEZ for a better Barking!
Written by Joseph McNicholl
