Sadiq Khan has said Londoners should be “proud” of the increased air quality in the capital following the release of a report by London authorities showing pollution had fallen since was elected as mayor in 2016.
The report from Transport for London (TfL) and the Greater London Authority (GLA) pointed to the controversial Ulez scheme as a major driver behind cleaner air in London, which has seen levels of pollutant nitrogen dioxide gas drop by almost 50 per cent between 2016 and 2023, the Guardian reported.
The Ulez scheme, alongside other green initiatives from the mayor, has received significant criticism from Londoners, especially after it was rolled out to the whole of Greater London last year.
Locals have complained it makes driving in the outskirts of the capital, which is not as well-served by public transport as its central boroughs, too unaffordable – with some even taking to vandalism to stop Ulez cameras from tracking their cars.
Khan said London was "leading the way" on cleaning up its air
PA
But Khan said: “Every Londoner should be proud of the remarkable progress we’ve made in improving our air quality since 2016.
“Together we’ve cut roadside nitrogen dioxide pollution in half and achieved the lowest annual levels on record.
“London is leading the way, cleaning up our air at a much faster rate than the rest of the UK.
“Clean air matters for so many reasons: helping to increase children’s life expectancy, reduce hospital admissions for asthma and serious lung conditions, and enable people to lead longer, healthier lives.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
- Sadiq Khan faces new Ulez headache as European drivers launch legal challenge over £6.5million in fines
- Anti-Ulez protesters take over London borough and block 'every camera' telling drivers to 'do what they normally do without fear'
- Drivers risk 'being forced off the road altogether' with only 461 'affordable' Ulez-compliant cars on sale
The Ulez scheme had been extended to cover the whole of Greater London last year
PAConservative mayoral candidate Susan Hall, who has pledged to can the scheme altogether if elected, slammed Ulez as “disastrous” for families, charities and small businesses.
The mayor has expressed his regret that the whole report won’t be published until after May’s mayoral election, which prompted concerns that he was “hiding” precise data from Londoners.
Susan Hall told GB News: “The figures he is using are trumped-up nonsense. Why? Because the real impact report he has decided to hide until after the election.
“It is a joke, but no one is laughing. I will listen to Londoners and scrap the Ulez expansion on day one of my mayoralty – no ifs, no buts.”
The report showed that London’s 49 per cent roadside nitrogen dioxide drop since 2016 was greater than levels across the rest of the UK – the whole country saw pollutant levels decrease, with England at 35 per cent, Scotland at 39, Wales at 31 and Northern Ireland at 27.
Khan will be particularly pleased with the data showing pollutant levels were lower last year than in 2020 – when locked-down Londoners were not driving on the capital’s roads.
The long-term air quality increase came in spite of a 1 million-strong population increase in London since Khan entered office eight years ago.
GB News has approached the Mayor’s office for comment.