Sadiq Khan earmarks £9 MILLION of taxpayer money to promote Ulez as he ploughs ahead with plans
Khan launches advertising campaign for controversial scheme
PA
Transport for London (TfL) has announced that it will spend £9million of taxpayer’s money on an advertising campaign on London’s ultra-low emission zone (Ulez).
Sadiq Khan is planning to spread awareness of the expansion of Ulez into the capital.
Those who drive non-compliant vehicles would have to start paying a daily fee, if the proposals go ahead.
The £12.50 daily fee would take effect from August 29 for those driving on almost any London street.
Ulez advertising campaign costing millions of pounds of taxpayers' money
PA
Ulez non-compliant vehicles are typically pre-2005 petrol and pre-2015 diesel.
The plans are subject to judicial review by the High Court.
Khan has been under pressure to “rethink” and “reflect” on the policy by Labour Party leader, Sir Keir Starmer.
Starmer was asked last Wednesday if he thought the clean air scheme should still go ahead.
Ulez advertising campaign has utilised billboards, adverts, signs and letters.
PA
“In the end it’s a decision for the Mayor but I want him to reflect on that,” the Labour leader replied.
His comments came after Labour unexpectedly lost the Uxbridge by-election last week.
Starmer blamed Ulez for Labour’s defeat in Boris Johnson’s old seat.
Khan has defended his policy, saying that nine out of 10 cars driving outside of London are already compliant.
He is understood to be sticking to the proposal.
TFL has now allocated £9million pounds on an advertising campaign that will notify motorists of the new changes.
The message has been spread to 3.3 million Londoners via television adverts, billboards and letters.
TFL said: “In January 2023, Transport for London (TfL) launched a multi-channel campaign targeting Londoners and home counties drivers to raise awareness and to explain who is affected, where the expanded zone will operate and how the scheme operates including hours of operations, daily charge and how to pay.
“The campaign aims to encourage vehicle checking to help drivers prepare ahead of when the scheme expands from 29 August 2023.
“The media activity will enable TfL to reach over 3.3m vehicle owners in London six or more times as well as 6.5m vehicle owners in the home counties six or more times so those who drive in London are aware of the upcoming expansion including boundary and how the scheme operates.”
TFL has previously said that £5million had been spent on Ulez signs across the city.
They also said that the scheme has collected more than £318million from non-compliant vehicle drivers.