Sadiq Khan’s rival and newest Tory MP demand ULEZ expansion axed in new letter

Sadiq Khan  has been urged to abandon his expansion of the ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) by the Tories’ newest MP and their London mayoral candidate. Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP Steve Tuckwell and Susan Hall have written to the London Mayor following Labour’s defeat in last Thursday’s by-election. The pair said voters in Boris Johnson’s former constituency “sent a clear message” that the ULEZ expansion “must be stopped”. They also warned Labour’s candidate Danny Beales “will not be the first domino to fall” if Mr Khan pushes ahead with plans to widen the £12.50 daily charge for the most polluting vehicles to outer London next month in a bid to improve air quality. Mr Tuckwell and Ms Hall wrote: “Voters in Uxbridge and South Ruislip sent a clear message that the Labour ULEZ expansion must be stopped.   Sadiq Khan is facing intense pressure over his ULEZ expansion (Image: GETTY) “The £12.50 a day ULEZ expansion charge, which you have chosen to impose on communities across outer London must be stopped.   “The Labour Party made the choice to expand ULEZ, saddling families and businesses with a £4,500 a year charge.   “The Labour Party made the choice not to invest in public transport links comparable with Inner London. “The Labour Party made the choice to tax carers, to tax parents, to tax patients, to tax sole trade and to tax other hard-working Londoners.” The pair said the result in the west London constituency shows that “where elections are matters of substance and policy, voters reject the Labour Party’s same old ill-though policy and tax rises”. Mr Tuckwell and Ms Hall’s letter to the Labour politician (Image: -) They went on: “That is why voters rejected Keir Starmer’s Labour Party candidate from Camden, because he supported the Labour ULEZ expansion for the past six years from the comfort of his central London council chamber. “It is disappointing that you and Keir Starmer are choosing not to listen to the public and continuing with the Labour ULEZ expansion against the overwhelming views of residents and businesses.   “The message from the doorstep has been loud and clear throughout the by-election campaign – stopping your damaging and costly ULEZ expansion. “If you do not Keir Starmer’s Labour Party candidate from Camden will not be the first domino to fall in outer London.” Mr Khan is facing intense pressure over his decision to expand the zone, which currently only covers central London, from August 29. Conservative Steve Tuckwell (R) beat Labour’s Danny Beales (L) in the Uxbridge by-election (Image: PA) Tory London mayoral candidate Susan Hall is taking on the Labour incumbent in next May’s election (Image: PA) Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was among party figures blaming the Uxbridge blow on the policy, which is pending a court challenge. The Tories narrowly won the crunch by-election with a majority of 495. A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: ‘The Mayor has been clear that while the decision to expand ULEZ was an incredibly difficult one, he could not stand by and do nothing while around 4,000 Londoners die prematurely each year due to air pollution, children are growing up with stunted lungs and thousands of people in our city are developing life-changing illnesses, such as cancer, lung disease, dementia and asthma. “Nine out of 10 cars seen driving in outer London are compliant and won’t need to pay a penny. “For anyone who is affected, help is available including thousands of pounds for people on low incomes, charities, small businesses, disabled Londoners and anyone in receipt of child benefit. “Sadiq is committed to the expansion but is always listening and is always happy to look at any new ideas for ways to mitigate the impact of expanding the ULEZ on Londoners while still tackling air quality and the climate crisis. “He has listened to Londoners throughout this process and continues to do so – and he has already made a number of changes to expand the scrappage eligibility scheme, from the end of this month.’