A letter signed by Watford’s MP has slammed proposals that could see motorists charged to enter Greater London as “deeply damaging”.

Dean Russell is among 23 Conservative MPs who have written to Sadiq Khan after he proposed a controversial Greater London boundary charge that could raise money if the Government decides not to devolve road tax to the capital.

The proposed ‘border tax’ would see drivers paying between £3.50 and £5.50 a day to drive into the city from outside London.

A daily charge of £15 already exists for motorists entering the centre of the city.

But Mr Khan’s plan would involve drivers with vehicles registered outside London having to pay once they enter an outer borough such as Croydon, Enfield, Hillingdon and Havering.

The letter, which was also signed by South West Hertfordshire MP Gagan Mohindra, described the plans as “draconian” and called for them to be scrapped.

“For those of us with constituencies just inside the Greater London boundary, your proposed tax will have a deeply damaging impact on business located in our constituencies and far reaching impacts on family life as relatives will be faced with an additional cost for travelling to visit one another,” the letter read.

MPs claim the plans could cost residents who drive to places such as Stanmore and Epping in order to park their car and use public transport to continue their journey an extra £1,000.

They are also concerned that the extra charge would impact those who travel to London for life-saving hospital treatment, adding that “a number of those residents in our constituencies are front-line public sector workers” that work in the capital.

The letter added: “Charging teachers, nurses, police officers, etc. is not the right thing to do.”

MPs also wrote: “We are aware that you will soon be entering into negotiations with the Government on a third bailout package for Transport for London. While we of course recognise the significant impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on TfL’s finances, and welcome the £3.4 billion provided by the Government to support TfL in the previous two bailouts, there is no denying that years of financial mismanagement had left TfL unable to cope with these challenges.

“Under your leadership, TfL’s debt has risen, projects have been delayed and income has been thrown away on your pet projects.

“It is unacceptable that you would now look to recover the funding gap by introducing a damaging border tax on families and businesses surrounding London, who are not your constituents and therefore not able to hold you to account at the ballot box.

“It has become a tiresome trend that you threaten draconian options ahead of entering into funding negotiations with the Government.

Watford Observer: Watford MP Dean Russell Watford MP Dean Russell

"We urge you to drop this latest threat, which has unsettled our constituents who hope to use the month and years ahead to rebuild their family and business finances after the pandemic and encourage you to work constructively with the Government on a funding settlement that works for both Londoners and UK taxpayers."

A spokesperson for the Mayor said: “Ministers have failed to play fair by Londoners when it comes to financing our world-renowned transport system, and as the Transport Secretary is well aware, the Mayor has repeatedly urged Ministers to allow London to retain the £500m of Vehicle Excise Duty paid by Londoners every year but which is currently spent almost exclusively on maintaining roads outside the capital.

“If the Government do not agree, other ways of raising money to overcome the unprecedented financial challenges TfL faces as a result of Covid may be needed – such as asking people who live outside the capital and make journeys into Greater London by car to pay a modest charge, which would be reinvested in London’s transport network.

“It is not fair on London that our drivers should subsidise the rest of the country’s roads and get nothing in return.”