London mayor stands by ULEZ growth after Uxbridge by-election loss

London mayor Sadiq Khan has stood by his determination to broaden the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to the capital’s outer boroughs, regardless of it being touted as the rationale Labour misplaced the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election.

Speaking to reporters, the Labour mayor mentioned he was “disappointed” the get together did not win the seat in a single day.

But he insisted the ULEZ growth, resulting from are available subsequent month, was “the right one”, including: “It was a difficult decision to take. But just like nobody will accept drinking dirty water, why accept dirty air?”.

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Many had predicted Labour would overturn the 7,000 majority in Boris Johnson’s previous seat in west London after the previous prime minister’s shock exit as an MP final month.

But all through the marketing campaign, it grew to become clear the London mayor’s plan to broaden ULEZ had angered folks on the doorstep.

The Tories clung on to the seat with a majority simply shy of 500 votes – which was nonetheless a 6.7% swing in the direction of Labour – and Rishi Sunak instructed reporters: “When there’s an actual choice on a matter of substance at stake, people vote Conservative.”

But Labour’s deputy chief Angela Rayner instructed Sky News the constituency was “not a Labour seat” and didn’t even flip crimson through the get together’s landslide victory in 1997.

ULEZ was first proposed by Mr Johnson throughout his stint as London mayor as a strategy to lower air air pollution within the capital.

When he introduced it in 2015, he mentioned it was “an essential measure to help improve air quality in our city, protect the health of Londoners, and lengthen our lead as the greatest city on earth”.

The coverage in its present kind – which sees drivers having to pay a £12.50 day by day payment to drive within the zone if their automotive doesn’t meet emissions requirements – at present covers central London and the areas as much as, however not together with, the North and South Circular Roads.

But Mr Khan plans to broaden the zone as much as the capital’s borders with Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent and Surrey from the top of August.

The mayor defended the by-election loss by echoing Labour’s deputy chief’s remarks, saying: “I have lived in London my entire life [and] this seat has never been Labour since I’ve been alive, including in 1997 in the Tony Blair landslide and the subsequent by-election a few months later.

“But I’m fairly clear although, the coverage to broaden the Ultra Low Emission Zone is the appropriate one. It was a troublesome determination to take. But similar to no one will settle for ingesting soiled water, why settle for soiled air?”

Mr Khan outlined the successes of the present coverage, saying there had been a toxicity discount in central London of fifty% since ULEZ started, and 20% for interior London boroughs.

He additionally mentioned a 3rd fewer kids have been being admitted to hospital with bronchial asthma assaults.

“Four million Londoners are already benefiting,” the mayor added. “What about the other five million in outer London, where there is the largest number of premature deaths?

“The 10 boroughs with the biggest variety of untimely deaths are in outer London [and] it’s the poorest Londoners who’re least more likely to personal a automotive that undergo the results.”

Mr Khan said he had been “listening” to people’s concerns about the expansion, increasing the eligibility of people to be exempt – such as families on child benefit or small businesses who employ up to 50 people.

“We are going to hold on listening, ensuring we monitor the scenario,” he added.

“But the selection is straightforward. Do we kick the can down the highway to scrub up the air in London or can we take motion?”