Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has claimed plans to expand London’s Ultra-Low Emissions Zone has nothing to do with air pollution, but instead designed to fill a black hole in Transport for London’s finanances.

The expansion of ULEZ will mean a daily charge of £12.50 on non-compliant cars driving in all London boroughs, affecting around one in ten vehicles.

Mayor Sadiq Khan says it will save lives because 4,000 Londoners die from air pollution each year, but his predecessor Mr Johnson, whose constituency of Uxbridge will be affected by the expansion says it was “never intended” for outer London and should be stopped.

“This has nothing to do with improving air quality. It’s all about Khan’s catastrophic mismanagement of TfL finances,” he told The Telegraph. “How can it be right that Khan is able to impose this tax on working people who have been given no say and no opportunity to raise their objections?

“This scheme was never intended for outer London and will impact my constituents and many others. Khan must be stopped.”

Meanwhile, Mr Khan has branded a legal challenge to the expansion from four London Boroughs and Surrey County Council as a waste of taxpayers’ money.

London’s financial paper City AM quotes him as saying: “I think it’s important for these Conservative councillors who’ve got concerns… if they want to challenge this in the courts (they) are free to do so – I think it’s a waste of taxpayers’ money. Local residents would rather these be used on the libraries.”

(File picture – RAC)