Nigel Farage outlines MOT check that exposes Sadiq Khan's 'motives' with ULEZ

Those who don’t pay the daily fee risk a £180 fine, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days.

The move made London the world’s largest pollution charging area, with Ulez previously only covering central parts of the capital.

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Khan has faced hostile opposition to his expansion decision with regular protests taking place, as well as anti-Ulez vigilantes targeting newly installed enforcement cameras.

As thousands of drivers are forced to seek alternative methods of transport, Nigel Farage has suggested a possible solution that would see car’s judged by MOT tests, as opposed to the criteria set by Ulez terms.

“Here’s an idea for Ulez”, he said.

“Ulez, we’re told, is to stop certain nitrous oxide particulate problems going into the atmosphere, but every car every three years old has to have an MOT every single year.

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“Why not just say that there is a standard that cars have to pass, and if they pass it at MOT, it doesn’t matter if they are five years old or 25 years old?”

Ian Taylor from the Alliance of British Drivers agreed with the sentiment, saying Farage put forward a good idea.

Speaking on GB News, he said: “I think it would solve the problem. That should give you, if you pass your MOT, the right to drive your vehicle on a public road.

“Not any public road except what the mayor says you shouldn’t.”

Farage went on to add that the issue of motoring will be “very big” at the next general election, arguing that authorities have imposed a series of measures, such as the Ulez expansion and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, that are to the detriment of drivers.

The Metropolitan Police said it had recorded 288 crimes relating to the new Ulez cameras as of August 1.

Speaking on its expansion, Sadiq Khan said: “The vast majority of Londoners want to see clean air and I recognise there are some Londoners with genuine concerns.

“My job is to try and address those concerns and I have been doing that.”

The Labour mayor added he was “disappointed” at a perceived lack of support from the Government.

He took issue with the lack of Government funding for its accompanying scrapple scheme, unlike those run in several other English cities.

He said: “It was this Government that gave financial support to cities like Bristol, Birmingham and Portsmouth towards their clean air zones.

“If clean air is right for them then why isn’t clean air right for London?”

A Government spokeswoman said: “Both transport and air quality are devolved to London, which is why they are the direct responsibility of the Mayor of London.

“In fact, the Government has provided TfL £6 billion since 2020 to keep public transport moving and almost £102 million for projects specifically targeted to help tackle air pollution.”

To comply with Ulez standards, petrol cars must generally have been first registered after 2005, while most diesel cars registered after September 2015 are also exempt from the charge.