Mayor finally listens to make clean air protection London-wide
Green London Assembly member Sian Berry responds to the Mayor’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expansion announcement, which expands the ULEZ to the whole city from August 2023.
Greens on the London Assembly have called for the Ultra Low Emission Zone to be London wide since 2016. [1]
Sian Berry says:
“Clean air is a human right, but the Mayor left the dangers of pollution without proper urgent action for far too long. I am glad to see the Mayor has finally had the political courage to act on this in a way we have demanded since first being elected.
“From the start, with my Green colleagues, I have said that only a London-wide clean air zone will properly protect all Londoners. I was disappointed when this was not taken up by the Mayor when he first had the chance, and that his later expansion plans stopped short at the north and south circular roads.
“Crucially now, this announcement includes a more generous scrappage scheme, and more exemptions to help disabled Londoners who are dependent on cars to get around, but these measures should also be extended further.
“As a Green AM, I have campaigned for years to ensure that scrappage is more than just replacing cars, but also about helping Londoners access public transport, so the incentives to take up season tickets alongside scrappage today are also very welcome.”
Notes to editors
[1] ULEZ consultation, MQ from Caroline Russell AM, May 2016 https://www.london.gov.uk/questions/2016/1613
Sian and her colleagues in the City Hall Green group of AMs have repeatedly pressed the Mayor to go further and faster on air pollution.
In June 2017 Caroline Russell AM published a report Left Out Londoners that showed expanding the ULEZ to the north and south circulars would leave too many Londoners exposed to deadly pollution. https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/assembly/caroline-russell/ulez-plans-leave-outer-londoners-out
In March 2018 Caroline Russell AM commissioned a YouGov survey that demonstrated Londoners wanted ULEZ expansion sooner than was proposed.
https://www.london.gov.uk/questions/2018/0814
In February 2019 the Mayor accepted an idea first proposed in 2017 by Caroline Russell AM, and put forward in an amendment in 2019 that alternatives to cars should be offered in any scrappage scheme,
In September 2020 after the most serious ozone pollution episode since 2006, Caroline Russell AM called for an all-London ULEZ
https://www.london.gov.uk/questions/2020/2607
In October 2021 Zack Polanski AM asked the Mayor to outline his next steps after the expansion of the ULEZ to the north and south circular roads. https://www.london.gov.uk/questions/2021/4052
In July 2022 Sian Berry AM asked the Mayor to consider how he might use changes in road space to reduce traffic and pollution.