A dad will have to travel for around three times as long to get his shopping done if the planned ULEZ expansion covering the whole of London goes ahead. 

Brian Walsh, 65, said he might have to give up his car if Sadiq Khan’s plans to extend the ultra-low emissions zone in 2023 are approved as he won’t be able to pay the £12.50 a day charge. 

He said he will have to walk and travel on public transport for around an hour and a half to get from his home in Stanmore to one of his nearest shopping centres in Brent Cross. If driving, this journey would usually take no more than 30 minutes. 

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He said: “Currently you can just pop over to Brent Cross, as it’s not covered by the ULEZ. If we have to give up our car, you’re talking about an hour and a half or maybe two hours.

“You have to walk around half a mile to the bottom of the road, then it’s either two buses or possibly even a train.”

Brian said he could drive to Watford, but the main shopping centre there has “lost a lot” of shops in recent years, or he would have to journey into Central London. 

He said: “Of course getting the train into London is another option, but then you have to lug everything back with you and you might spend hours going from place to place.”

Brian added that taking away “people’s independence” will have a lasting effect on people who rely on their cars, particularly older people. 

He said: “There is probably a higher demographic of older people living in these outer boroughs, and not everyone lives on top of a bus stop or within walking distance of a station. 

“This will really limit people. You can’t expect everyone to do everything online or simply buy or hire a new car. 

“Most people use their cars for short journeys. A trip to the shop or to see friends. They’re not driving a lot; we might use ours for say 3,000 miles [a year]. 

“And we talk about mental health and avoiding loneliness. Some people might genuinely rely on that trip to the shops, even if it’s just to see people.”

Brian acknowledged the need to address the changes to the environment and said that “at some point” additional measures need to come in. 

But he suggested these plans have been rushed through, giving people little time to manage or come to terms with the changes. 

He said: “This will affect an area with millions more people living in it. I think you could have done this over five years and I reckon 80 to 90 per cent of those affected would have changed things automatically in that time. 

“You also have to think about those living within the M25 who aren’t in London. Hertfordshire is about 100 yards away from here. People there will drive in and out without thinking about it because it doesn’t feel like a border. They will need help as well.”

Last month, Harrow 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.”

When he announced the consultation on the proposed expansion, which ended last week, 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.

“And despite the world-leading progress we have made over the last few years, there is still far too much toxic air pollution permanently damaging the lungs of young Londoners and leading to thousands of deaths every year, with the greatest number of deaths attributable to air pollution in outer London boroughs.”

He added he would consider the financial impact this would have on Londoners but that approving the expansion could mean that “lives will be saved”.