ULEZ

Léonie Cooper AM moved, and Sian Berry AM seconded the following motion:

“This Assembly welcomes the expansion of the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) that took place on 29 August 2023, reducing air pollution for 5 million more Londoners. 

This Assembly welcomes the High Court’s decision on 28 July 2023 to dismiss the claim against the ULEZ expansion to outer London on all three grounds. This Assembly believes that the four London boroughs who brough the legal action should have used the money instead to support their local residents and fund their own additional scrappage funds, similar to Merton and Wandsworth.  

This Assembly strongly welcomes the Mayor’s expansion of his scrappage scheme for ULEZ to £160 million, noting that had targeted those most in need of financial support, before becoming available to all Londoners. This Assembly additionally notes that the amount which can be claimed by businesses and charities has increased. Sadly, this is still without financial support from the Government towards London’s mitigation and adaptation measures.  

This Assembly agrees with the urgency of removing the most polluting vehicles from our roads, thereby reducing the associated health risks to Londoners such as asthma, dementia and stunted lungs in our children. This will particularly benefit the boroughs with the highest number of air pollution-related deaths, which are all in outer London, including Bromley, Barnet, Croydon and Havering. 

This Assembly notes that the Government has provided clean air scheme funding for other cities with similar emissions schemes such as Bath, Birmingham, Bristol, Sheffield and Portsmouth. We therefore call on the Government to support the important transition to cleaner air by introducing a properly funded national clean air fund which can cover scrappage not only for Londoners, but those living outside the city and in towns and cities across the country.”

Following debate and upon being put to a vote, the motion was agreed with 12 votes being cast in favour, and 6 votes cast against.