Ruislip & Eastcote & Northwood Gazette
ULEZ expansion ‘not fair on older people with older cars’
PENSIONERS SAY PEOPLE WILL BE ‘STUCK AT HOME’ BECAUSE OF CHARGE
WEST London residents have said it is not fair that the Ultra Low Emission Zone has expanded into Zone 6.
A number of Uxbridge streets are not in the new boundary, but if people need to drive to local shops, nearby schools or the hospital they will still have to pay £12.50 if their car is not green enough.
On Friday November 25, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan confirmed that the ULEZ boundary would be expanding into Outer London, covering nearly all of the capital’s roads.
This means that residents as far as Uxbridge, which sits in Zone 6, will have to pay if their vehicle does not pass specific environmental requirements
Thanks to the A4007 and A4020, which loops through Uxbridge from Slough and takes drivers towards the M40, nine streets in the town are not in the new zone. This means households along Rockingham Parade, Barnsfield Place, Lawn Road and Victoria Rod will not live inside the ULEZ boundary.
However, if they drive into Hillingdon they will have to pay the moment they leave the main carriageway. For many residents, this will include trips to school, the local shops or even Hillingdon Hospital which now sits inside the boundary.
Residents who live on the streets were not impressed that the daily charge would be implemented a few metres away.
Sue, 74, and her partner John, 73, who did not want to give their surnames, were shocked they would have to pay so much to drive around their town if their car did not match specifications.
Sue said: “It affects older people because they tend to have older cars rather than swapping them for a new model. It is not fair you would think that because we are quite far out we would pay less, maybe £5 or £6. We are not putting that many emissions into London compared to central.”
John, who use to work at Hillingdon Hospital, said: “People will be stuck at home if they can’t afford the £12.50 – there will be pensioners who just can’t afford it but don’t want to take the bus or the train.”
The couple, who are both retired, say they are more likely to drive around the borough to visit nearby towns and villages.
Sue added: “I wouldn’t say congestion is a problem here, it’s not difficult to get in and out of Uxbridge. It used to be before Covid, but it’s different now because more people work from home.”
The cost of the daily charge worries the couple.
Sue said: “It is expensive, I worry about my neighbour who has to get her little kids to school. She drives them each day and that would be £60 each week if she has to pay – will she have to go on the bus now?”
John added: “It just seems like a cash cow to me. It will hurt people on low budgets. It just seems quite harsh.”
Hillingdon Council still stands in opposition to the ULEZ fee in the borough.
Council Leader Ian Edwards said: “Hillingdon remains vehemently opposed to these half-baked plans and we will do everything in our power to stop it from going ahead.
“London cannot be treated with a one-size-fits-all approach when the make-up of inner boroughs is incredibly different to ours.
“Unlike urban parts of the capital, our residents don’t have the luxury of a frequent, multi-layered transport system.
“Many have little option other than to use their cars for everyday travel. Imposing the ULEZ charge in is not only wrongheaded but is completely unfair and will hit the poorest in our communities hardest. What Hillingdon really needs is not another tax but increased investment in its public transport links.
“There are better ways of improving our air quality and the Mayor of London should be doing all he can to boost London’s recovery rather than implementing this money grab from those that can least afford it.”
City Hall says that ULEZ has so far helped reduce roadside pollution levels by 44% in central London and 20% in inner London, according to City Hall.
The Mayor has said: “The latest evidence shows that air pollution is making us sick from cradle to the grave.
“Londoners are developing lifechanging illnesses, such as cancer, lung disease, dementia and asthma. And it’s especially dangerous for children due to the long-lasting impact on their health and life chances, with kids in our city growing up with stunted lungs.
“The ULEZ so far has been transformational, reducing harmful pollution levels by almost a half in central London. But there is still far too much toxic air pollution permanently damaging the health of young Londoners and leading to thousands of early deaths every year, with the greatest number of deaths in the outer London boroughs.
“Expanding the ULEZ Londonwide will mean five million more people will be able to breathe cleaner air and live healthier lives.”