The decision has been handed down this morning from the High Court, who were looking at the Judicial Review of Sadiq Khan’s misconceived ULEZ policy. Unfortunately, the High Court disagrees with the five Conservative-led Councils which brought the legal action against Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ expansion and has ruled that it was lawful. However, this challenge was not looking at the merits of the policy, but rather how Sadiq Khan used his legal powers to expand the scheme. It was looking at the way the consultation was run, the use of data to justify the policy, and other areas such as the scrappage scheme.
It was looking closely at the technical legality of the decision to expand ULEZ, not the rights or wrongs of taxing hard working Londoners for getting in their cars.
Do not let Sadiq Khan, the Labour Party or the local Lib Dems represent this decision as a moral victory for ULEZ.
While I of course accept the legal decision from the High Court ruling regarding the lawfulness of the policy – this does not make the policy right. It does not mean it is in the best interests of my constituents here in Carshalton and Wallington, or Londoners more widely - who will be disproportionately affected by the policy.
As we know, the Mayor’s hated ULEZ policy will penalise those who can’t afford it the most. I have heard from many of my constituents that they were not accepted by the scrappage scheme and simply cannot afford to buy a new car. This is a serious threat to people’s livelihood as some people depend on their car for work or to take care of their family. Labour can’t even agree on it amongst themselves if they support the policy or not and even the Labour leader has urged a rethink. And meanwhile the local Lib Dem Party has stayed almost completely quite on the issue.
The Mayor of London MUST still urgently rethink the policy and put a stop to it.
The recent by-election in Uxbridge, which was fought hard on ULEZ, shows that the public are against the policy. Sadiq Khan should, for once, think of hard-working Londoners and put them first.
I completely understand the disbelief, frustration, and anger that many residents have regarding the policy – which has no mandate but will have a huge impact on residents, financially crippling many of them. I know that many of those impacted won’t be able to afford the £12.50 daily charge!
I will continue to fight against ULEZ. It is the wrong policy, at the wrong time, affecting the wrong people. Those of us - mainly in the Conservative Party – who stand against this policy are on the side of the residents. And always will be.
Have you joined my campaign against expansion yet? If not, you can sign my petition below, or head to: https://www.elliotcolburn.co.uk/stop-ulez to keep up to date with the campaign!
