ULEZ charge is a benefit to our county too
Cllr Bennett knows he is defending a doomed culture of ‘the big car economy’, where urban areas are dominated by the car (last week’s letters).
He is trying to garner support not because he can show that ULEZ is wrong. A report issued by Imperial College in 2021 reviewed ULEZ and came to the conclusion that it is beneficial, but requires additional policies such as more buses and other forms of public transport.
Instead of working with TFL, Bromley and some other outer London boroughs are acting in their usual reactionary manner. When ULEZ started only 63% of vehicles were ULEZ compliant, now less than 6% are non compliant.
You have to own a petrol vehicle over 18 years old or a diesel vehicle which is eight years old, to get stung by ULEZ. These are not vehicles just out of the showroom, and in any case if I were travelling to London,I would go by train or National express. I think Cllr Bennett has also forgotten about the great transport barrier, otherwise known as the M25. Anyone travelling by van/car/truck/ minibus, to a job in the metropolis, has to add at least two hours travel time to penetrate the world’s largest moving car park, so daily trips up to London are not really a productive use of staff time and probably cost more than a £12.50 ULEZ charge.
Working towards ULEZ standards in Kent might be a good thing, because the London ULEZ is also saving our lungs, as the prevailing winds often blow metropolitan pollution towards Kent.
If all our vehicles in Kent could be made ULEZ compliant within five years, we might save some lives and reduce carbon emissions.