This week in Parliament there were two Westminster Hall debates on parliamentary petitions that got enough public support to get debated. These covered these issues:
- On Road User Charging Schemes, revoke local government powers to charge CAZ, LEZ, and ULEZ.
- Amend the 1999 GLA Act to remove the [London] Mayor’s power to impose road use charges”.
Although Labour MPs apparently mostly chose not attend, so avoiding any embarrassment no doubt in having to support unpopular policies, there were useful contributions from Conservative MPs.
It’s easier to follow what was said by reading the Hansard extract which is here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-06-26/debates/077638E8-599B-45E5-BB61-7BBDF9DA6073/RoadUserChargingSchemes
Gareth Bacon, MP for Orpington in South East London made several good points. He said his constituents quite rightly saw the ULEZ as a “tax-grabbing scheme to fill the holes in Transport for London’s finances”. He pointed out that the public consultation was manipulated by the Mayor and hundreds of cameras were ordered even before the consultation was launched.
It’s well worth reading what was said in the debate which highlighted the costs being imposed on many people who live in outer London when the impact on air pollution will be negligible.
Roger Lawson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Drivers_London
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Unfortunately when this legislation was passed no one envisaged that such an unpleasant piece of work as Sadiq Khan would become the Mayor of London, he is single handedly creating a cost of living and mental health crisis in London, and don’t forget he is running up and down the country encouraging similar schemes, he is the head of the snake. Keep protesting, keep lobbying your MPs and keep signing the petitions even the ones already debated and share them, encourage everyone you know to sign them, if they get enough support then the Government might start to take notice. –
Hold a referendum on removing the London Assembly and London Mayor
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/631763
Give Everyone within the M25 a vote for London Mayor and GLA member
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/634216
Amend the 1999 GLA Act to remove the Mayor’s power to impose road use charges.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/633550
Repeal Part 3 of the Transport Act 2000 on road user charging.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/637066
Carry out an independent review into Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs)
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/632748
Require public referendums on 15-minute town and city policies
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/633819
Remove local authority powers to create low emission zones.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/632757
Remove local authority powers to introduce LTNs,LEZs & ULEZs
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/637517
Outlaw “Pay Per Mile” road pricing schemes
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/634832
Extend or remove the 2030 deadline to ban new diesel and petrol cars
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/632365
Allow Recall of Local Councillors,Mayors and London Assembly
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/633147
And finally a crowdfunding for legal action to stop ulez expansion
https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/stop-ulez-expansion/
Problem we have is that the Labour Party have traditionally got away with being perceived as democratic.they are not.only the processes within the party are democratic.khan is a perfect example of how they manipulate the system and people’s votes to do what they want pretending that was what people voted for.its very concerning that the Labour Party and some of its voters are entertaining such radical ideology based on net zero.yes we would like to be greener but not at any cost and it should not be allowed that Khan makes up TfL’s deficit on the backs of motorists.even if his claim of four thousand Londoners are effected by air pollution was true…….how many use the London Underground.which is reported as being four times higher than above ground.this whole thing is a rip off.