A pensioner said he will consider parking in Hertfordshire to avoid being hit with a daily £12.50 charge if London’s ULEZ is extended to cover the whole of the capital.
David Brand, 86, said he could be forced to take drastic measures if Sadiq Khan imposes stricter emissions measures in Harrow next year.
David said this could include parking his car in Hertfordshire, which is just yards away from his home in Stanmore and would be outside the ultra-low emission zone.
He also said he might have to get rid of his silver Vauxhall Calibra, which he has owned for almost 20 years.
Mr Brand said: “It’s an absolute joke. They can’t expect people to pay £12.50 a day. My pension wouldn’t cover it. This would be taking away my only real form of transport. The more I think about it, the more angry I get.
“What’s to stop me leaving my car over the border in Hertfordshire? And if everyone does that, they’ll get annoyed, understandably. So where does it stop?”
The former electrical engineer, who also volunteered for the Royal Air Force, said the plans would punish people who rely on their cars, particularly older and disabled people. He described the potential extension as a “slap in the face” given the hardships many are facing at this time.
Mr Brand added: “You’ve got people who can’t afford to buy food, can’t afford to heat their homes and now they want to take away another freedom. What about all the vans and lorries? This is going to put some people out of business.”
Read more: Consultation launched to expand ULEZ to whole of Greater London
He accepted there needs to be conversations about damage to the environment, but said there are other ways of tackling the issue without charging residents.
Mr Brand said expanding ULEZ would be “seriously damaging” for Mr Khan and the Labour Party.
This is a view shared by Conservative-run Harrow Council, with some councillors hinting it would be so divisive it would harm Mr Khan’s chance of re-election if he chose to run in 2024.
Last week, the council passed a motion outlining its “strong opposition” to the plans and called on the mayor to spend the money earmarked for the extension on other environmentally-friendly transport improvements.
Cllr Paul Osborn, leader of Harrow Council, said: “We’re about to declare a cost of living emergency and yet we’re pushing this cost onto Harrow residents. It’s not the people who can afford to change their cars, it will be the poorest people and businesses that are struggling who will be forced to pay this charge.
“We want to make it clear that the London Borough of Harrow opposes this and we will do everything in our power to challenge this even, if necessary, in the courts.”
Read more: ULEZ Expansion - see the full proposed expansion map
When he announced the consultation on the proposed expansion, which ended yesterday, Mr Khan said it was vital London takes action to tackle climate change. He said: “The triple challenges of tackling toxic air pollution, the climate emergency and congestion mean we need to further reduce emissions from vehicles in London.
“We simply don’t have time to waste. The climate emergency means we only have a small window of opportunity left to reduce carbon emissions to help save the planet.”
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