ULEZ: Croydon Council cannot afford to join legal battle

Croydon Council says it does not have enough money to join the legal fight against the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expansion.

Four London borough councils have announced they are seeking a judicial review against the scheme.

Mayor of Croydon Jason Perry said the council was still supporting those boroughs despite not joining the fight.

In November, the council was forced to issue its third bankruptcy notice in the space of two years.

The Croydon mayor said: "We have been working really closely with the other boroughs all the way through."

He said that "because of our financial situation we cannot commit to financing a judicial review at this time".

Mr Perry has confirmed that the Conservative-led council will refuse to sign an agreement with Transport for London (TfL) allowing it to install ULEZ cameras - although TfL's "reserve powers" enable it to install two-thirds of the 2,750 necessary cameras for the scheme without seeking permission.

Bexley, Bromley, Harrow and Hillingdon councils, as well as Surrey County Council, are questioning the legality of the decision to expand the ULEZ area by seeking a judicial review.

A spokesperson for the mayor of London said on Thursday: "We will be defending any challenge to this vital scheme. The mayor urges the councils involved to abandon this costly and unnecessary legal challenge and instead focus on the health of those they represent."

Croydon Council estimates it will need to reduce spending by £130m in the next financial year to balance the budget, a legal requirement for local authorities.

In order to achieve this, it has sought permission from the government to increase council tax by 15%.

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