Sadiq Khan refuses to back down on Ulez as he expands scrappage scheme

‘This is too little, too late’: Sadiq Khan’s bid to calm growing fury over ULEZ by extending scrappage scheme for older cars is blasted as ‘act of desperation’ – as Mayor vows to plough ahead with much-hated expansion

•  All Londoners with non-compliant cars are entitled to £2,000 grant

Sadiq Khan’s decision to expand the Ulez scrappage scheme for older cars has been branded as ‘too little, too late’ with critics blasting the London Mayor’s U-turn as an ‘act of desperation’. 

The Labour Mayor has faced pressure from MPs within his own party and the Conservatives to row back on the daily £12.50 charge for polluting vehicles, which will be brought in across the capital later this month.

But Mr Khan as vowed he would never ‘step back, delay or water down’ the much disputed motorist levy.  

Insisting he will press ahead with imposing the policy after a High Court challenge from five local authorities failed last week, he said the scrappage scheme would help ‘make the transition to a greener city easier’ during the cost-of-living crisis.

But the Tory’s Conservative London Mayoral candidate Susan Hall attacked the Mayor for causing ‘financial ruin’ to thousands of people across the capital.

Tory London Assembly Member Keith Prince added Mr Khan’s announcement still ‘does not go far enough to stop the damage his Ulez expansion will do to Londoners’.

Sadiq Khan said he would never ‘step back, delay or water down’ Ulez as he announced an expansion of the scrappage scheme for older vehicles

The Labour Mayor has faced pressure from MPs within his own party and the Conservatives to row back on the daily £12.50 charge for polluting vehicles, which will be brought in across the capital later this month

Every Londoner with a non-compliant vehicle is now entitled to a £2,000 grant to scrap or retrofit their vehicle, with the total scrappage scheme cost estimated to reach £160million.

Mr Khan said: ‘I’m not prepared to step back, delay or water down green policies like Ulez, which will not only save lives and protect children’s lungs by cleaning up polluted air but help us to fight the climate crisis.

‘I can announce an expansion to the scrappage scheme that means all Londoners with non Ulez-compliant cars will be able to get financial support to switch to greener vehicles. 

‘We are ensuring that help is available for everyone – and I urge Londoners to come and get it.’

Sadiq Khan said he would never ‘step back, delay or water down’ Ulez as he announced an expansion of the scrappage scheme for older vehicles

Those who convert their non-compliant vans and minibuses to electric vehicles would be given £9,500 and £11,500 respectively – an extra £2,000.

Ms Hall, however, said: ‘This is too little, too late from Sadiq Khan, who is facing mounting pressure from Londoners and his own party.

‘Thousands of families, small businesses and charities face financial ruin because of Sadiq Khan’s Ulez expansion, which will do next to nothing to improve air quality.’

Mr Prince added: ‘This is an act of desperation from Sadiq Khan to appease members of his own party, but does not go far enough to stop the damage his Ulez expansion will do to Londoners. 

‘The best thing he could do is U-turn and adopt some policies that would actually clean the air, such as accelerating the move to zero emission buses.’ 

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