Ulez protesters SLAM heavy-handed policing of small demonstration: 'More of you here than when the kids are fighting!'
A protest was held against the scheme in Enfield
GB News/PA
Protesters campaigning against the controversial Ulez scheme have accused the police of heavy-handedness.
A small protest is taking place against the expansion to the scheme in Enfield in North London.
However, despite the limited numbers to the demonstration, there were five police officers in attendance at the event.
One of those in attendance criticised the heavy handed police presence at the event.
The police presence could be seen on the right
GB News
One of the attendees told police officers: "More of you here than when the kids are fighting."
The high number of police relative to the number of demonstrators comes amid continued criticism of the Met Police for not cracking down on pro-Palestine protests in the capital.
The protest was held by the "Stop Ulez" group that they were "Anti Ulez Anti Pay per Mile" saying they wanted to camera block in the town centre.
A Met Police spokesperson told GB News: "We continue to keep police resourcing under review, to provide a proportionate response and redeploy officers when appropriate."
The plans for Ulez were first introduced by former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in 2014. The scheme was then implemented by current mayor Sadiq Khan in 2019.
Sadiq Khan's expansion to the scheme has been controversial
PA
On November 25 2022, Khan announced that the Ulez would expand again on August 29 2023, to cover all London boroughs. Despite backlash from Conservative led councils, the expansion to the scheme went ahead.
Drivers of older petrol and diesel vehicles, which tend to be more polluting, will be charged £12.50 to travel inside the expanded zone.
Earlier this week, there was a change to the scheme as non-compliant cars from the area were to be given to Ukraine. When looking to scrap their non-compliant vehicles, drivers will be given the option to donate their vehicle to Ukraine in return for the same grant payment as those who scrap their vehicles.
According to the London Mayor, most vehicles eligible for the scrappage scheme are needed in Ukraine, with Khan praising his close working relationship with his Kyiv-based counterpart Vitali Klitschko.
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Research from earlier this year found that 41 per cent of London drivers said they had a stronger dislike for the zone since its expansion.
Over four in 10 drivers said their feelings didn’t change about the Ulez scheme since its expansion while 16 per cent said they had become more pro-Ulez.
Meanwhile, a quarter of Londoners are so unhappy with the scheme that they approve of the vandalism of Ulez cameras found alongside roads in the capital.