Legal challenge to ULEZ to be heard this year

Image above: Ulez signage signifies start of Ultra low emission zone

Sadiq Khan vows to proceed with expansion despite challenge

A legal challenge to the expansion of London’s ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) will be heard later this year, after a High Court judgment cleared the way for councils to proceed.

Four London borough councils – Hillingdon, Bexley, Bromley, Harrow – and Surrey county council were granted permission to challenge the ULEZ expansion policy in court. Only two of the five grounds they presented were deemed “arguable” and those only in part, but this still allows the councils to go ahead with their legal challenge.

The ULEZ was introduced in April 2019 and has been successful in reducing emissions in central London by charging drivers of older, more polluting vehicles, for driving them in London. Sadiq Khan, London’s mayor, has argued that expanding the ULEZ is necessary to tackle toxic air which causes thousands of premature deaths each year.

Despite the legal challenge, Sadiq Khan has vowed to proceed with plans to expand the ULEZ from inner boroughs to the whole of Greater London in August. The five Conservative-led councils have been seeking to block the expansion, which is unpopular among many drivers in the suburbs, with many residents and small businesses expressing concern about the financial impact of the scheme.

Transport for London (TfL) estimates that only a small minority of older vehicles will be liable for the charge, which is set at £12.50 daily for diesels typically registered before 2015 and petrol cars before 2004. The councils argued that Khan had failed to comply with relevant statutory requirements and had not consulted on a £110m scrappage scheme introduced to help drivers transition to newer cars or public transport.

Former High Court judge, Sir Ross Cranston, said the first ground presented by the councils was “doubtful but arguable” and that the second was “on the cusp”, although only on one aspect of its argument. He turned down three other claimed grounds for appeal.

Images: wiring for ULEZ cameras in Chiswick have had their wires cut

ULEZ monitoring equipment vandalised in Chiswick

Equipment used to enforce the inner London ULEZ has been vandalised locally.

Cameras used to identify vehicles which are non-compliant with ULEZ have had their wires cut at Hogarth Roundabout, Dorchester Road and near the Tesla garage on Devonshire Road.

This is not the first time traffic monitoring equipment has been vandalised locally by opponents to traffic schemes.

Automatic strips for counting traffic, which were installed in Grove Park in 2021 to measure the number of vehicles driving through, were systematically ripped out by vandals

Image above: Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, Nicholas Rogers AM

“A shame” that local authorities are taking ULEZ plans to court, says Sadiq Khan

A spokesperson for Sadiq Khan said:

“The mayor is pleased to see the court has refused permission for the majority of the grounds. We will continue to robustly defend his life-saving decision to expand the ULEZ and continue with preparations without delay.

“It is a shame that some local authorities have chosen to attempt this costly and misguided legal challenge instead of focusing on the health of those they represent. This is a health emergency and the mayor is not prepared to stand by and do nothing.”

Nick Rogers, the transport spokesperson for London Assembly Conservatives, said:

“The High Court has now ruled there is sufficient evidence that Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ decision may have been unlawful.

“Sadiq Khan should do the right thing, immediately stop work on his ULEZ expansion, and explain his actions to the court.”

The court hearing is expected in July.

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