Sadiq Khan has claimed record, ‘overwhelming’ support for his package of measures to improve air quality in London, which include expanding the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and a crackdown on the most polluting vehicles.
The London mayor has published the results of consultation on the plans, which received 15,000 responses, said to be the highest ever number of replies to a City Hall consultation.
Sadiq Khan launching the 'Hopper' bus fare this week
The consultation in July revealed that 79% of Londoners consulted supported Mr Khan's proposal to bring the ULEZ forward to 2019, while 71% believed it should be expanded to the North and South Circular roads.
City Hall said the consultation also showed ‘widespread support’ for the mayor’s call to Government for a diesel scrappage scheme to help Londoners switch away from the most polluting cars.
It also found 81% support for implementing a £10 Emissions Surcharge (dubbed the ‘T-charge’ by City Hall) on the most polluting vehicles entering central London from 2017. The charge, would apply to all vehicles with pre-Euro 4 emissions standards – typically those registered before 2005 – and would cost an extra £10 per day on top of the Congestion Charge.
Mr Khan said: ‘A record number of Londoners responded to our consultation, which demonstrates they feel just as strongly as I do that cleaning up the capital’s killer air has to be a major priority.
‘The equivalent of 9,500 Londoners die each year as a result of the air they breathe in our city, I refuse to sit back and do nothing. Both the previous Mayor and the Government failed to get their act together to meet legal pollution limits and that’s why I have put forward some bold, hard-hitting measures to tackle this issue head on.’
City Hall said the outcome of this consultation is being used by officials to shape the next round, which will start next month for 10 weeks and will include a more detailed and specific consultation on the T-charge.
The proposed ULEZ is an area within which all cars, motorcycles, vans, minibuses, buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) will need to meet exhaust emission standards (ULEZ standards) or pay a daily charge to travel of £12.50 a day for cars/vans/motorcycles and £100 for coaches/HGVs/buses.
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