Petition to stop ULEZ expansion passes 160,000 signatures

People opposing the policy have backed Tim Rowling's appeal, which calls on Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to bin plans to include all of the capital in the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) from August 2023.   

Drivers of vehicles that fail to meet minimum emission standards will have to pay a daily charge of £12.50 to travel within the zone, including Hertfordshire motorists crossing over.

Read more:

• West Herts drivers consider debt and quitting over ULEZ
• ULEZ expansion is 'unfair' as Tory MPs call for it to be scrapped
• ULEZ expansion: The roads where west Hertfordshire borders London

The proposal has been criticised by people living just on the edge of the zone, Hertfordshire County Council said it could not give its full support, and local MPs have written to Mr Khan voicing opposition.

The move was confirmed last month after a public consultation, which saw 59% of respondents agree more needed to be done to tackle toxic air, but 66% opposed the expansion, according to a Telegraph investigation.

The petition has 161,524 signatures as of this morning (December 9) after it was launched at the start of the year.

Bob Kiernan, from Bushey, said: “I think there’s a lot of people around the Bushey area in the same positions as me that have signed petitions.

“I hope they get enough signatures because it’s something that I do think needs to be discussed but who knows what’s going to happen if they do?”

The Hertfordshire Greater London border in the Bushey Heath area (Image: Google Maps)

The petition says: “This will price working Londoners off the roads and cause the scrappage of perfectly good cars, causing a terrible impact on the environment.”

Under 'reasons for signing', signatories describe the expansion as “ridiculous”, “a tax on the poor” and “a crippling burden”.

Alexandre Fernandes, 71, said his wife, who is retired but still does some work as a nurse to make ends meet, will be forced to give up working by the charge.

He added: “I think the petition is a very good idea. I’d even love someone to have a peaceful demonstration we could join.

“It’s so unjust, especially for older people and people working in the NHS, they are going to suffer.”

The Hertfordshire border with Greater London such as Harrow and Hillingdon (Image: Google Maps)

Alongside the petition from the public, 29 Tory MPs including Watford’s Dean Russell and South West Hertfordshire’s Gagan Mohindra said the mayor’s decision is “undemocratic”, and also raised financial concerns calling it a “hammer blow to household budgets”.

For more information and to view the petition visit: https://bit.ly/3uDZWdW.

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