The Transport Secretary has the ability to stop Sadiq Khan imposing his hated Ulez tax, a senior Tory MP claims.
Drivers will be hit with a £12.50 charge a day to use the roads in outer London when he expands the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on August 29.
However, MP Craig Mackinlay, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Fair Fuel for UK Motorists and UK Hauliers, has revealed that Transport Secretary Mark Harper can intervene.
Harper claims there is nothing that can be done as powers are "devolved to the Mayor of London", but a law on national infrastructure could change things.
Drivers will be hit with a £12.50 charge a day to use the roads in outer London when he expands the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on August 29
PAIt comes as Rishi Sunak announced that he is to order a review of anti-car schemes.
The Prime Minister revealed that the Greater London Authority Act 1999 legislates for the powers and devolved authority of the London Mayor and Assembly.
It reserved powers in all such devolution settlements remain with the Secretary of State including transport.
"In my view, given the importance of London to the national economy and transport, the Secretary of State should exercise powers to stop the anti-motorist crusade being pushed by this failed Mayor which will hurt the poorest hardest and which additionally has economic repercussions across the South East and the wider country," Mackinlay told The Express.
It comes after the Conservative candidate for London Mayor heaped pressure on Khan over his controversial plans.
Susan Hall, who will represent the Conservative Party at the next London Mayoral election in 2024, has taken aim at the incumbent mayor, accusing him of using the expansion to serve as a shameless “cash grab”.
“I’m obviously very disappointed, as will be hundreds of thousands of Londoners”, she told GB News.
“They don’t want this. They made it clear to Sadiq Khan that they don’t want this, but he’s going ahead with it.”
Mark Harper claims there is nothing that can be done as powers are "devolved to the Mayor of London", but a law on national infrastructure could change things
PAHall has vowed to turn off the Ulez cameras in outer London on day one if she is elected as London Mayor.
While Reform UK candidate Howard Cox promised to end Ulez in inner London too.
The scheme sees all non-Ulez compliant vehicles accrue a daily charge for driving inside the zone and was previously restricted to central areas of the British capital.
