Sadiq Khan committed to ULEZ expansion amid reports Keir Starmer’s Labour is ditching clean air zone support

Mayor of LondonSadiq Khan has vowed to persevere with his Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expansion amid reports Labour is rolling back its support for clean air schemes.

Labour has allegedly removed a policy from a draft report, to be discussed at the party’s National Policy Forum (NPF), in which it backs the principle of clean air zones, reported the Telegraph.

According to the paper, the deleted section said: “Labour supports the principle of clean air zones and recognises the huge damage to human health caused by air pollution and the damage to our climate caused by carbon emissions from polluting vehicles.

“However, they must be phased in carefully, mindful of the impacts on small businesses and low-paid workers, and should be accompanied with a just transition plan to enable people to switch affordably to low-emission vehicles.”

A Labour source has since told the Daily Mail that clean air zones are “Conservative government policy”, and that “Labour is not in favour of extra burdens on drivers during a Tory-made cost of living crisis”.

The national Labour party, including its leader Sir Keir Starmer, has put pressure on Mr Khan over his flagship clean-air scheme since the Conservatives held on to the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election last month, if by a much-reduced margin.

The result was largely seen as down to the ULEZ expansion, planned for August 29, from which date all drivers in greater London with non-compliant vehicles will be liable to pay the £12.50 daily charge.

Labour has not responded to requests for comment.

Mr Khan has stood firm on the planned expansion of the zone, his only move being to extend the scrappage support scheme to assist more Londoners needing to transition to cleaner vehicles.

A spokesperson for the mayor said: “Air pollution is an urgent public health crisis, and the mayor has made it clear it was a difficult decision to expand the ULEZ, but necessary to save Londoners’ lives and protect children’s lungs.

“While nine out of ten cars seen driving regularly in outer London are already ULEZ compliant, all small businesses and every single Londoner with a non-compliant car are now eligible to get support to replace their vehicle.”

City Hall data from earlier this year found every London borough is exceeding World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines for nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

A separate study led by King’s College academics more recently found a connection between exposure to air pollution and the use of community mental health facilities among people living with dementia.

While critics have raised concerns about the impacts of the ULEZ expansion during a cost-of-living crisis, Mr Khan has received the backing of groups including doctors and other city mayors over the impending move.