|
|||||||||||||||
|
THE
PUBLIC IS WAKING UP … ULEZ A STEPPING STONE TO ROAD PRICING On 15 April 2023, Trafalgar Square saw a well-attended
demonstration with speeches from different public figures and campaign
groups. It was good-humoured but very firm show of the strength of feeling
against the Mayor’s plans, which have been massively under-publicised.
|
|||||
|
HEADING
FOR A SHOWDOWN …THE LEGAL SITUATION IN SHORT On 12 April 2023, a court session heard the case for a Judicial Review (JR) on expanding
ULEZ. There are two applications – a private application (‘Chris White’…),
best covered by its own appeal crowdfunding website. There is also the higher profile application from 4 London
boroughs (Bexley, Bromley, Harrow, Hillingdon) and Surrey County Council.
There will be some common arguments. ● We can expect a hearing in the week beginning 3 July.
Recent JR cases have taken 4 to 9 weeks to deliver a judgment, but with ULEZ
due to expand on 29 August, judgment might be expected sooner. ● Transport for London (TfL) have been crowing
short term the court session did not allow 3 of the 5
grounds for challenge to proceed, and of the other two, the charge on
scrappage was said to be borderline. ● The main charge of using improper
legal means could in theory see the Mayor’s Order quashed – but if this
is the only formality, what is to stop the Mayor issuing a fresh Order? ● Various people are surprised that the judge did not rule
that there were irregularities
with last year’s consultation. The evidence has been seen as particularly
strong and on other cases, a decision following a consultation has been ruled
illegal. (There may in time be more information on the judge’s reasoning on
the BAILII website. The Councils’ case
reference is CO/642/2023). ● Eyebrows have been raised on the choice of session judge.
According to Wikipedia,
Sir Ross
Cranston KC is a professor of Law at London School of Economics and a retired
High Court judge. He is also a former Labour
Party MP and minister (like Mayor Khan). The BBC notes “He was one of three ministers to refuse
the use of an official car.” ● Some find it strange that a former Labour MP and minister should
be chosen to adjudicate in a dispute between a Labour Mayor and 5
Conservative councils? However, there is a possibility of appealing against the refusal of
grounds and an appeal judge may not agree with Cranston. Watch this space… ● The decision to proceed with the hearing excited
the PM Rishi Sunak, who twice
turned down MPs’ requests to stop ULEZ, and Tory Chairman Greg Hands MP, who
wouldn’t even mention the
consultation in his Chelsea-Fulham constituency newsletter when asked. . . |
|||||
|
2023:
IT’S BEEN A BUSY YEAR… So much happening that in the first quarter, we
produced a snapshot feature
covering developments such as what the politicians said and did, and moves
towards a Judicial Review.. . . Apart from ABD, other sources of information include Action Against ULEZ
Extension (link to Facebook group)
and the local press (spin warnings on some official
comments) News Shopper (SE
London) My
London (Reach / Trinity Mirror group) |
|||||
|
THE
HISTORY – TO EARLY 2022 … Our article
on Khan's 2021 Manifesto showed the viciously anti-driver policies of the
Mayor who had posed as ‘a Mayor for all Londoners’.. . In particular, his campaign was bland on road pricing –
otherwise he would not have been re-elected. His Manifesto merely said he
would monitor his road-charging
schemes for ‘benefits’ (e.g. over congestion) and identify where further action is needed. It is clear that he wants to extract even more money
from over-taxed drivers. On 18 January 2022, he made clear
his aspirations: ● He says he needs to charge drivers a
"small" daily fee of up
to £2 for "all but the cleanest vehicles" on the pretext of air
quality. (‘Small’ – means up to £732 a year more! There would also be issues
for population surveillance.) ● He is also considering charging
drivers from outside the capital who wish to travel into Greater London.
(For many that would be a tax on going to work, and Londoners would
suffer if their tradesmen had to pass on the cost. There would be other
quirks, such as forcing drivers just outside Greater London to drive further.)
● He is also considering making the
current ULEZ charging zone Londonwide. ● In the longer term, he says he needs
to bring in a pay-per-mile road
pricing system. (Just what the lobbyists have been agitating for.) BBC MyLondon GLA
PR (spin warning!) There was little of real substance on
the proposals. Any proposal would be ‘subject to feasibility and
consultation’, so the charges were not a done deal. The first two listed were
duly ruled out. However after the May 2022 council elections,
Transport for London launched a consultation, with the publicity majoring on expanding
the ULEZ. This diverted some attention away from Khan’s less loudly publicised desire
for Londonwide road pricing. Rather than propose clear detail –
including a projected breakdown of costs and revenue – Khan just sought to
update his Mayor’s Transport Strategy
document with a policy to introduce road pricing. Softly softly
catchee monkey’ by Transport for London? Despite the playing down, one of the
long consultation documents made the assumption
that Londonwide road pricing would be
in place by 2026. For updates on ABD’s campaign to stop Khan, see the links at
the top. Please
help spread the word and - better still - actively support us |
|||||
|
|
Welcome to London graphic
designed by Freepik