"Sadiq Khan has insisted he remains committed to “taking action” to tackle road pollution despite a backlash against his proposed expansion of the ultra-low emission zone. About two-thirds of respondents to a consultation on widening the Ulez across Greater London are reportedly opposed — amid claims from whistle-blowers of negative responses being disproportionately excluded from the results. But the Mayor, in an interview with the Standard, said the consultation was “not a numbers game” and added that it was vital to further reduce the threat to public health from toxic air.
“The idea of parking things or kicking the can down the road is not an option,” he said. “The easy option is to dither and delay. I think it is important to take action.”
Mr Khan said he believed the consultation, which closed at the end of July, had been “hijacked” by opponents, including people living outside London.
He is yet to receive a report on the consultation results from Transport for London — it is due by next month. The Mayor will then decide whether to press ahead with plans to expand the £12.50-a-day Ulez across all 33 boroughs on August 29 next year.
He indicated the scheme’s widening, dubbed the GL-Ulez, could be modified if he received responses raising “substantive” issues but insisted a “crude majority” opposing its expansion would not automatically lead to the proposals being ditched.
“The decision to expand the Ulez to all of London isn’t predetermined,” he said.
“I have not made up my mind. What I’m clear about is: it is not a numbers game. This is not a referendum. If there is a crude majority of people for it, that doesn’t take me over the line, or a crude number of people against it."
It was reported last weekend that 66 per cent of respondents opposed the plans, with only 24 per cent in favour...
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transpo ... 30964.html
