As I have said before, a great number of my constituents are vehicle dependent; needing their vehicles to travel to work, take their children to school and to attend hospital appointments. While the majority of these vehicles are well maintained few are excessively polluting. The Mayor of London’s decision to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone will have an adverse effect on many of my constituents, and it is a move that I oppose as it would not have a meaningful impact on local air quality.
Revelations in the press of the recent days have highlighted the Mayor’s contempt for the views of Londoners from across the City. The documents acquired by GLA members show how the Mayor attempted to manipulate the outcome of the consultation on the expansion of the ULEZ and to gain a more favourable result.
Given the serious nature of these allegations, I sought to raise this issue with the Prime Minister during the weekly session of Prime Minister’s Questions.
In today’s session, I asked the Prime Minister to support MPs from across the political divide who have voiced their concerns about the proposals. I highlighted the burden and cost that the expansion would have on my constituents and asked whether the Prime Minister supports the moves to get a full and transparent inquiry into these allegations.
In his response, the Prime Minister outlined his sympathy and support for my constituents facing an increased fare and his disappointment in the Mayor’s action. He went on to say that while transport is a devolved matter, he would urge the Mayor to respond to these serious allegations and reconsider his plans.
