ULEZ Consultation response

We are writing on behalf of the Liberal Democrats in London Borough Merton as part of the consultation underway regarding the Mayor of London’s plans to widen the ULEZ area to cover all of Greater and Inner London from August 2023.  

We know that emissions from vehicles damage our and our children's lungs and cause heart disease, and we support reducing damaging emissions and eliminating this suffering. We also acknowledge the need for fairness within a ULEZ. Any new scheme should be one that influences new choices and does not punish past decisions, whilst understanding simultaneously that air pollution from vehicles affects the poorest the most. 

For such wide ranging and impactful changes, we believe more proactive engagement is needed. This consultation needs to be actively followed up with Londoners to fully explore the art of the possible.  

We believe measures introduced as part of a response to the climate emergency and to improve air quality must be able to evidence their impact. Particularly we consider measures that simply raise revenue undermine the climate emergency agenda. 

We are concerned expansion of the ULEZ might not be the most effective way of reducing air pollution, and risks instead being a new tax on businesses and the poorest residents. The Mayor should demonstrate both how the ULEZ will reduce air pollution, traffic and carbon emissions, and how the financial impact on residents and businesses will be mitigated, through a cost/benefit analysis comparing the proposed scheme with other means of reducing air pollution. Londoners are known world-wide for our creativity and ingenuity and the Mayor is well-placed to harness our collective talent to come up with new and innovative solutions to tackling climate change. The destruction we have witnessed from recent hot weather events brings into sharp focus that we need to think, act and live differently. 

For these reasons any future arrangements should focus on supporting people to move to more environmentally friendly options. The Mayor also needs to face up to his own climate impactful decisions, such as introducing the polluting Silvertown tunnel project, and if, as looks likely, he goes ahead with his plans to extend the ULEZ to include London Borough Merton, we want it to be done fairly. Businesses and those who cannot afford to switch need particular help and support, including a generous scrappage scheme possibly funded by revenue raised, and realistic lead-in times to allow people the time needed to change. There may be cohorts who cannot benefit from the above owing to their financial situation, and further measures should be considered.  

When developing the new policies, Londoners must be involved, and particular attention needs to be paid to: 

• demographic ownership of affected vehicles 
• ensuring the revenue raised is used on air quality measures, such as improving pedestrian and cyclist facilities and infrastructure and not propping up TfL  
• ensuring cuts to public transport and fare increases are stopped 
• how changes are effectively communicated (many of those most concerned about ULEZ already drive compliant vehicles).  

With regards local councils across London, we are particularly keen to hear how the Mayor will engage with us about measures already independently taken to counter local air pollution issues, such as higher parking charges and diesel levies, and what will happen to these schemes as a result. 

We look forward to hearing what the next steps are.

Liberal Democrats Merton