Sadiq Khan blasted by small business owner over Ulez: 'It’s making us unemployed'
Ulez expansion has been taken to court by five councils
Gb News/PA
Sadiq Khan’s stringent Ulez regulations are a stranglehold on small firm, a concerned business owner has told GB News
Declan Canning told the channel that Ultra-Low Emission Zone (Ulez) regulations render his van and family car non compliant, but says he cannot afford to buy a vehicle that is compliant.
Canning said: “Our van for work, it isn’t compliant. There’s nothing wrong with it but according to Mr Khan I have to get rid of it so for us to renew our van is not a financial option for us at the moment.
“Our family car as well, which isn’t compliant so we’re hit left, right and centre at the moment.”
Canning added: “He’s making us unemployed.”
The small business owner also pointed out that the non compliant vehicle market has dropped considerably in recent times.
It comes as five Conservative-led councils launch legal action against Khan over plans to expand London’s Ulez zone.
Bexley, Bromley, Harrow, Hillingdon, and Surrey are attempting to block the 29 August rollout, arguing that it would have a huge financial impact on motorists.
Protests outside the High Court on Tuesday
PA
Khan said: "The independent assessment confirms that Ulez works and the expansion will lead to five million more Londoners breathing cleaner air.
"You're not going to please 100 per cent of people all the time.
“No politician in history has managed to do so."
The scheme requires those that drive in non-compliant vehicles to pay a £12.50 daily charge if passing through inner London, or else motorists could face a £160 fine.
MORE DEVELOPMENTS:
Ulez was first rolled out in 2019
PA
The UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) recently said Khan’s claim that 90 per cent of cars in outer London meet Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) standards was not supported by publicly available data at the time.
In March the London mayor said nine in 10 households complied, but his office has now admitted that Khan misspoke.
Figures show that Ulez raked in £224million last year, with a third of the nine-figure total raised in 2022 being brought in through penalty charge notices.
City Hall launched Ulez in April 2019 when it was brought in to cover the same area of the existing congestion zone.
Protests outside the High Court on Tuesday
PA
Conservative contenders for the 2024 London Mayoral Election have vowed to scrap the expansion.
Londoners receiving certain low-income or disability benefits can apply to the Mayor’s £110 million scrappage scheme.
The scheme is also available to sole traders and businesses with fewer than 10 members of staff.
Up to £5,000 is available to scrap a van and £7,500 is being offered if it is traded in for an electric vehicle.
There is also up to £5,000 available if it is possible to retrofit your van.