Ulez: London mayor Sadiq Khan hails High Court ruling

The enlargement of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) crossed London tin spell up aft the High Court ruled it lawful.

Five Conservative-led councils had challenged the Labour politician of London's plans to complaint older, much polluting vehicles £12.50 a time from 29 August.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan told the BBC: "This landmark determination is bully quality arsenic it means we tin proceed with cleaning up the aerial successful outer London."

Surrey Council's person branded the determination "incredibly disappointing".

The judge, Mr Justice Swift, said the mayor's enlargement determination "was wrong his powers".

He wrote: "Having cautiously considered the determination published for the purposes of consultation, I'm satisfied capable accusation was provided to licence this wanting to respond to the consultation to supply informed responses.

"I'm further satisfied that erstwhile taking the determination connected the assistance to conscionable the outgo of the conveyance scrappage scheme, the politician understood the apt proviso that would beryllium made.

"While the consultation conducted was not in-depth, it was lawful."

The Ulez presently covers the country betwixt the North and South Circulars, but this judgement means it volition beryllium dispersed crossed Greater London from the extremity of August.

When it was archetypal introduced successful 2019, the portion covered the Congestion Charge country successful cardinal London, past was enlarged successful October 2021.

The caller borders of the portion volition scope Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent and Surrey.

City Hall has claimed that 90% of cars seen driving successful outer London complied with Ulez standards which has been backed by the UK Statistics Authority, though the watchdog criticised the politician implicit information transparency.

Mr Khan said: "The determination to grow the Ulez was precise hard and not thing I took lightly and I proceed to bash everything imaginable to code immoderate concerns Londoners whitethorn have.

"This unambiguous determination contiguous successful the High Court allows america to property connected with the hard but captious task of cleaning up London's aerial and tackling the clime crisis."

On Wednesday, Labour person Sir Keir Starmer urged the politician to bespeak connected the expansion successful the aftermath of a by-election triumph for the Conservatives successful Uxbridge and South Ruislip, which helium said was owed to the "impact it's having connected people".

The enactment was launched by February by the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Harrow and Hillingdon, arsenic good arsenic Surrey County Council.

Tim Oliver, person of Surrey Council, said: "Whilst we respect today's tribunal decision, it is incredibly disappointing."

Bromley Council leader, Colin Smith, said: "To the legion of families who volition present person to commercialized successful perfectly bully cars astatine important outgo they can't truly afford, for a newer conveyance they don't privation oregon need, I tin lone accidental sorry.

"We've tried our precise hardest to support you but ultimately, today's judgement does mean that the politician has taken different measurement person to getting his way."

Harrow, Surrey and Bromley, which spent £32,000 contesting the expansion, person confirmed they volition not entreaty the court's decision.

Air pollutants, specified arsenic nitrogen dioxide, tin origin and worsen respiratory problems similar asthma, and tin impact those with bosom conditions, according to aggregate technological studies.

Dr Anna Moore, a respiratory doc moving astatine a London hospital, called Ulez a wellness argumentation which was "going to amended the wellness of millions of Londoners".

She said: "I spot patients endure from the effects of toxic aerial week successful and week out. There is nary organ successful the assemblage which is not harmed by aerial pollution."

Nicholas Lyes, caput of roads argumentation astatine the RAC, said: "While the rule of cleaning up London's aerial is the close one, it has travel astatine a clip wherever drivers tin sick spend to regenerate their vehicles during a cost-of-living crisis.

"This is being made by worse by caller grounds which shows drivers are having to wage acold much than they should person to acquisition a compliant conveyance connected the second-hand car market."

Steve Tuckwell, the recently elected MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, said: "Uxbridge and South Ruislip sent politician Sadiq Khan a wide connection past week - halt your Ulez expansion.

"Londoners cannot spell connected being ignored by the Labour Party, who are making the prime to grow Ulez, saddling families and businesses with a £4,500 a twelvemonth complaint - a taxation connected carers, parents, patients, sole traders and each hard-working Londoners."