Cllr Simon Fawthrop represents Petts Wood & Knoll Ward on Bromley Council.
Under Section 143 of the Greater London Authority Act, Mark Harper, as the Secretary of State for Transport, has powers to intervene and stop the ULEZ expansion to Outer London.
The Act states that if he considers that Khan’s transport strategy is inconsistent with national policies relating to transport and detrimental to any area outside Greater London, he can direct the Mayor to revise his transport strategy.
To consider that the policy/strategy is detrimental is a very low threshold. There is no burden of proof required, whilst that doesn’t mean he can act unreasonably, it does give a great deal of leeway. There cannot be any doubt that this scheme is detrimental to those Counties outside of Greater London; that is why Surrey, Kent and Hertfordshire County Councils are all refusing to put up Khan’s ULEZ signs.
This scheme is detrimental to so many people – particularly the elderly, pensioners, the low-paid, those with disabilities and mobility issues. When you take this in conjunction with the other parts of the Act, it is clear the SoS must intervene.
Under section 141(1), it says the Mayor shall develop and implement policies for the promotion and encouragement of safe, integrated, efficient and economic transport facilities and services to, from and within Greater London. Charging someone £12.50 a day to come into Greater London can hardly be described as efficient. This charge is actually a barrier to people travelling to, from, and within, Greater London.
It goes on to say under Section 141(2): ‘In addition to containing the proposals and policies required by Subsection (1) above, the transport strategy— (a) shall contain the Mayor’s proposals for the provision of transport which is accessible to persons with mobility problems…’
So there it is, staring the Secretary of State in the face.
In the past, Conservative governments have intervened in the national interest when it has been necessary to do so. I can think of examples back in the 1980s when loony left councils were hiking up rates to exorbitant levels. Margaret Thatcher didn’t hesitate to introduce rate-capping to protect those hit by these irresponsible councils.
She also introduced the Unified Business Rates at the same time as those same Labour councils were using businesses as a cash cow. ULEZ is hitting hundreds of thousands of small businesses, and having an inflationary effect on the business van market, as well as on the second-hand market in compliant vehicles.
More recently the Government has intervened to protect people: Rishi Sunak through the furlough scheme; Liz Truss through the energy price subsidies.
I know there are some in the Conservative Party who think we shouldn’t do anything now because ULEZ is really bad and it will reflect on Khan in next May’s Mayoral election. I’m not convinced that knowing that the Government could intervene and didn’t will endear the Conservative Party to voters. On the contrary, if the Government does stop ULEZ it will be thanked next year and Conservative candidate, Susan Hall, should become the next Mayor of London.
The time to protect people is now.