No ULEZ IV – Sadiq Khan meets a setback

To Trafalgar Square for the 4th monthly demonstration against Sadiq Khan’s expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone to outer London and the borders of the Home Counties.  Previous months here, here and here.

This poster is prominent at every outer London underground station.

Sadiq Khan met a setback to the scheme this week in the shape of the High Court and judicial approval for several councils whose residents will be adversely affected to seek Judicial Review of Khan’s scheme.  This is how the Telegraph reported the decision on Wednesday.  This isn’t a decision to stop ULEZ, but the first step. Judicial permission to take Khan’s decision to court to be reviewed.

Sadiq Khan will face a High Court challenge over his expansion of London’s ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) after a judge ruled a legal battle can go ahead.

Five Conservative-led councils – Bexley, Bromley, Harrow, Hillingdon and Surrey – have been granted permission for their challenge against the London mayor’s proposals to proceed, with a trial due to begin in July.

The High Court ruled there was sufficient evidence for the councils’ case to proceed on two out of five grounds of their appeal, with three rejected outright.

The first ground permitted by the judge related to an alleged failure by the mayor to comply with statutory requirements around the implementation of the expansion plan.

The second ground is understood to be related to claims there was a failure to consider the potential for including non-London residents in the new £110m scrappage scheme.

The mayor is pressing ahead with the roll-out of cameras to police Ulez across outer London.

More than 300 cameras have been installed across the outer London boroughs, with the mayor looking to have 1,700 set up before the August launch.

However, increasing numbers of cameras have been vandalised by protestors since being installed.

Nick Rogers, the City Hall Conservatives transport spokesman, said: “The High Court has now ruled there is sufficient evidence that Sadiq Khan’s Ulez decision may have been unlawful. . . Sadiq Khan should do the right thing: immediately stop work on his Ulez expansion and explain his actions to the court.”

A spokesman for Mr Khan said: “The mayor is pleased to see the court has refused permission on the majority of the grounds. We will continue to robustly defend his life-saving decision to expand the Ulez and continue with preparations without delay. . . “

On TV that night he looked shaken as he continued to insist that all London was behind him and bluster that the scheme WILL go ahead.  He continues to claim that those of us who oppose him are “right-wing conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers, and some are even Nazis.”  He needs to be careful he doesn’t appear to criticise the Judges in those terms; contempt of court can carry a term of up to two years imprisonment.

Trafalgar Square was already busy when we arrived.

A gazebo, stage and sound system had been set up so that this month we could have speakers.

Laa-Laa the teletubbie is, in real life, a woman from Waltham Forest, the borough where I grew up. The borough has been subjected to a large number of LTNs (low traffic neighbourhoods) which cause my friends who still live there great inconvenience. Streets may not be driven down by non residents, or only at certain times or days, thus pushing traffic onto those remaining permitted streets. This increases traffic there and slows journey times. She said (and I know this from other events in Walthamstow) that too many of the residents of gentrification are smug and complacent and cannot see past their own virtue and comfort. The ones who understand are the tradesmen who need vans to transport tools and materials.

The speakers included former MP Lembit Öpik and Shaun Bailey who was the Conservative candidate who stood against Sadiq Khan in 2021. I didn’t catch this man’s name but he said something I liked which I made a note of.

“I see the real Londoners here, but Sadiq Khan doesn’t see you”

We walked round Trafalgar Square to see the rest of the demonstration; this month a group of motorcyclists came with their machines. Excuse me while I drool; I have always admired the US Indian make (foreground) over Harley-Davidson (background) having never ridden pillion on either.

As usual demonstrators lined the kerb and crossings while taxis buses and other vehicles signalled their support.

This particular poster makes reference to Sadiq Khans insults mentioned above.

There were a lot of families with small children, Charity Today said

The protest was incredibly peaceful, with speeches from activists and affected individuals.

Also young people

And of course tradesmen needing vans to get their equipment around our city  cannot use public transport; can you imagine carrying scaffolding on a bus?

The crowd then moved off to march down Whitehall to express their views outside Downing Street. But as we had something else to do this month we didn’t join them. Despite the good news that the scheme will be subject to Judicial Review the impetus must be kept up and a 5th demonstration is anticipated for May.

 

E Weatherwax London April 2023.