ULEZ: London mayor Sadiq Khan rules out pay-per-mile scheme amid attacks on ultra low emission zone extension

London mayor Sadiq Khan has ruled out introducing a pay-per-mile scheme in the capital amid accusations that the Labour Party has secret plans to charge motorists for every journey following the extension of ULEZ, insisting that this is “not on the agenda.”

Mr Khan has come under fire for the expansion of the ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) to all London boroughs from Tuesday (August 29) including his home in Tooting, which has sparked anger among people in the area.

Speaking to Times Radio, he said: “I am ruling out a pay-per-mile scheme whilst I am mayor, it’s not on the agenda, it’s not on the table.

“But it’s no secret that the Government, transport officials in London and around the country, have been looking at for some time, in relation to a smarter, streamlined service for a variety of reasons, not least because the Government are worried about fuel revenues drying up over the course of the next few years.

“In fact, Boris Johnson, when he was the mayor of London – remember him? – In his transport strategy there was talk about a pay-per-mile scheme. When Rishi Sunak was chancellor he asked his Treasury officials to look into these schemes. There’s no secrecy around this.”

He also insisted he is “not anti-car” as the expansion of ULEZ only ‘affects a small number of cars’ which are non-compliant. He told Times Radio: “The policy to clean the air in London is not anti-car or anti-motorist.

“The good news is actually nine out of 10 cars seen driving in outer London on an average day are already compliant. So there is no additional fee for you to pay, no restrictions on you, yet you benefit from the clean air.

“But I accept there are a small number of cars that will be affected, they are non-compliant cars. They themselves, the drivers, breathe in pollutants, and that’s why I’ve announced that every single driver in London of a car or motorbike, every small business with a van, every charity with a minibus, will receive financial support (for scrapping non-compliant vehicles).”

The Transport Secretary said he would stop the expansion of London’s ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) if he had the power to do so.

Speaking on GB News, Mark Harper said: “I don’t have the power to stop it coming into force. That’s a decision for the Mayor of London backed by the Labour leader. I think he should think again.

“He says this has to do with air quality, his own impact assessment says this will only have a minor to negligible effect on air pollution.

It’s not about air pollution, it’s about a money-raising exercise and this is absolutely not the time to be putting all those costs on hard-pressed and hard-working Londoners and those in the area outside London.”

Asked if he would stop the expansion if he had the power, Mr Harper said: “Yes, I don’t have the power, though.

“We’ve looked at this really carefully. Despite what some people say, including on your channel, I don’t have the legal power to block it. That’s a decision for the Mayor of London, and it’s not too late for him to think again.”