A High Court judge has ruled that London Mayor Sadiq Khan can go ahead with plans to extend the Ultra Low Emission Zone to the whole of London from 29 August.

Five Conservative-led councils, London Boroughs Bexley, Bromley, Hillingdon, and Harrow, along with Surrey County Council, had challenged the plans on the basis of “unfair and unlawful consultation regarding expected compliance rates in outer London”, the “scrappage scheme’s irrationality due to uncertainty and inadequate consultation”, “failure to comply with relevant statutory requirements” and whether the Mayor “adequately considered the previous “buffer zone” approach as a material consideration regarding the scrappage scheme”.

However these challenges have been rejected, meaning those driving certain, usually older, vehicles in London will have to pay £12.50 per day to drive anywhere in the capital from next month.

The BBC quotes the judge Mr Justice Swift as explaining that he viewed Mr Khan acted within his powers when he amended the existing ULEZ scheme – rather than create a new one and that he rejected the councils’ argument that the consultation had been insufficient or insufficiently clear.

He also said the mayor was within his rights to come up with a scrappage scheme which excluded people from outside London.

Reacting to this, Mr Khan said the decision to expand ULEZ was “very difficult” and not something he took lightly and that he will continue to do “everything possible to address any concerns Londoners may have”.

“Nine out of 10 cars seen driving in outer London on an average day are already compliant so won’t pay a penny,” he said.

(Picture – RAC)