A Conservative candidate hoping to become the next Mayor of London has vowed to launch referendums for boroughs on whether they want to remain in the ULEZ area.
A new London mayoral candidate has suggested that, if elected, he would host a referendum on whether boroughs want to be included in the ULEZ.
Samuel Kasumu, a former adviser to Boris Johnson, is one of the first hopefuls to put their name forward for the Conservative candidate for the London mayor elections.
On Twitter, Mr Kasumu said: “Sadiq Khan has no electoral mandate for his proposed ULEZ expansion. It really is that simple.
“This is why I am promising a referendum for all outer London boroughs if elected mayor in 2024.”
He claimed he would share more details on his plans in the coming weeks, with Londoners having a year to decide who gets their vote.
Some boroughs have expressed their displeasure at the ULEZ expansion, with protests taking place on a regular basis.
Petrol vehicles which are Euro 4 standard, generally registered after 2006, and diesel vehicles (Euro 6) registered since 2016 will evade the charge.
Samuel Kasumu acknowledged that the ULEZ expansion would be one of the “key battlegrounds” for the 2024 mayoral race.
The 35-year-old said: “You’ve got to do things in a responsible manner, and you have to be able to take people with you. You can’t just impose your will on folks who don’t want it.
“Our challenge as Conservatives is going to have to be around how we can responsibly reverse any damage that is already done by the time we get into office,” he told The Telegraph.
Mr Kasumu is currently a councillor for Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council and serves as the cabinet member for climate change and the environment.
He said he was just as passionate about the planet as Sadiq Khan, but said the ULEZ should only continue if people want it.
He added: “I will promise within the first 12 months to have a local referendum for every outer London borough so they can be empowered with the choice about how they respond to what Sadiq has done.”
The next London mayoral election will take place on May 2, 2024, with Sadiq Khan running for re-election for what would be his third term in office.
The incumbent mayor has been consistent in his support for the ULEZ, saying it is necessary to keep emissions down and protect Londoners.
A recent report found that emissions from harmful pollutants have been reduced by more than 25 percent within the current ULEZ area.
Mr Khan estimates that around without the ULEZ action, around 550,000 more Londoners would develop diseases stemming from air pollution over the next 30 years.
This would “condemn a generation of children to ill health” and put an additional strain on the NHS and social care system to the tune of £10.4billion.
The Mayor and Transport for London launched a £110million scrappage scheme in January to help people living in and around the capital get rid of their older, polluting cars in exchange for money off a ULEZ-compliant vehicle.
This is the largest scrappage fund ever offered in the UK, with Khan urging the Prime Minister in February for the Government to match the amount to help even more people.
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