Reacting to news today that the Labour Mayor of London Sadiq Khan plans to end the Congestion Charge discounts for zero-emission vehicles, the prospective MP for the Cities of London & Westminster Tim Barnes criticised Sadiq's failure to tackle London's air pollution problem. Tim explains
"Today, we've had the very disappointing news that Sadiq Khan, Labour's London Mayor, has decided he's going to end the discount for people who have electric and hybrid cars, who are trying to do the right thing, and used to just be able to get a little bit of extra money off their congestion charge, and that's really disappointing. It is not the best thing for London's air.
"It is not the best thing for London's environment. Previously, that was just that little bit of acknowledgement that you were doing the right thing, if you moved to a new car, non-polluting car, and you got a bit of extra money off your congestion charge as a result. But it follows a pattern, a really irresponsible pattern that this Labour Mayor does not understand the need to clean up London's air.
"He's still got big polluting, diesel buses out like the number 55 going through Oxford Circus, one of the worst areas for air pollution in the country. along with Marylebone Road and some of the areas around Cambridge Circus. And he could just be helping people to do more to encourage them to get out and walk and to use their bikes by knowing and believing that London's air is safe.
"I don't own a car. I don't think you need one, if you live where I do, in the middle of Cities of London and Westminster. But many people do need them, and they should just be encouraged to be a little bit greener and to be a little bit more responsible with our environment and help us all breathe cleaner air.
"Sadiq Khan is doing the opposite. He's not encouraging us to do that and it's deplorable."
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