Croydon Council opposes ULEZ expansion

Croydon Council says it has opposed a proposed expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to include outer London.

The Greater London Authority (GLA) is consulting on expanding ULEZ to cover most of the capital by 2023.

It plans to publish results from its consultation later this year.

The south London council feels the £12.50 daily charge - for cars which don't comply - will hit low income and less mobile residents.

Under the current ULEZ scheme drivers of the most polluting cars have been charged a levy to drive into central London since 2017.

It was known as the Toxicity Charge when it was first introduced.

The daily levy is currently set at £12.50 to drive within the North and South Circular roads.

London mayor Sadiq Khan says expanding the zone will help tackle poor air quality.

Mayor of Croydon Jason Perry said he did not dispute that fact but urged Mr Khan to reconsider the current ULEZ expansion proposals.

"During a time when so many of our residents are feeling the squeeze from increasing cost of living, it is concerning that they are faced with the prospect of a £12.50 ULEZ charge for a trip to the shops.

"Croydon takes environmental matters seriously and we are firmly committed to improving London's air quality, however, this should not come at a cost to families and business already struggling financially.

"There are real opportunities to continue to improve our local transport infrastructure in the immediate term, focusing on our public transport and cycle routes, as well as supporting the uptake of greener vehicles."

On Thursday TfL said on its website: "Our consultation on proposals to extend the ULEZ has now closed.

"We are now considering the feedback we received and aim to publish our consultation report and next steps later in the year."

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]