Sadiq Khan facing legal action for misleading Britons on Ulez expansion

Sadiq Khan could face legal action for allegedly misleading the public over his controversial Ulez expansion.

Hundreds of thousands more drivers will face a daily fee of £12.50 for using London’s roads after the London Mayor announced he will expand a pollution charge zone to boost air quality.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
Kirsty O'Connor

Khan said extending the ultra-low emission zone to cover the whole of the capital from August 29 this year is “one of the toughest decisions I’ve taken”.

The scheme, which operates at all times except Christmas Day, is currently limited to the area within the North and South Circular roads.

During the expansion the Mayor was legally required to consult on the plan.

But when initial results came through from charities, the public and local councils the expansion looked unpopular.

City Hall Tories say that the London Mayor manipulated the final results of a consultation on his plans, by excluding “campaign responses”.

They say this lowered the level of opposition in the final count from 62 per cent to 59 per cent.

Yesterday, the Conservatives released documents claiming to prove he made “untrue and dishonest” comments.

He told the London Assembly they had not been briefed in advance on the interim results of a consultation into extending the Ulez.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, London.
House of Commons

The Mayor’s office said any suggestions of manipulation were “simply untrue”.

Today speaking at PMQs, Conservative MP David Simmons asked Rishi Sunak: “Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner has a great many car-dependent older and disabled constituents, many of who are horrified to read that the Mayor of London may have manipulated the outcome of his own consultation in order to impose an unwanted £12.50 daily charge every time they go for a medical appointment or attend hospital.

“Does he agree with me that any further rollout of the Ulez should be paused until these matters have been fully investigated?”

Sunak responded: “It is disappointing that the Mayor, backed by the Leader of the Opposition (Sir Keir Starmer), is choosing not to listen to the public, expanding the zone against the overwhelming views of residents and business.

“I urge the Mayor to properly reconsider and respond to these serious concerns.”