Sadiq Khan has been slammed for blocking a plan to send cars that would be scrapped under Ulez rules to the Ukraine frontline.
The London Mayor has reportedly said in a letter obtained by The Telegraph, that he is against sending vehicles – which are usually 4x4s and pick-up trucks – to the front line.
Mr Khan – responding to a letter from Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko – said he would not grant permission for cars to make there way to the warn-torn country as the proposal did not meet the ‘legal threshold’.
Mr Khan added that the scheme must benefit Londoners from an ‘economic, social and environmental perspective’.
The news comes as a big blow to the Ukrainian war effort.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, volunteers have been driving donated 4x4s and larger vehicles to aid soldiers.
Sadiq Khan has been slammed for blocking a plan to send cars that would be scrapped under Ulez rules to the Ukraine frontline
The London Mayor has reportedly said in a letter obtained by The Telegraph, that he is against vehicles – which are usually 4x4s and pick-up trucks – to the front line
The scheme, designed to limit harmful pollution, means that anyone with a non-compliant vehicle has to pay a daily £12.50 fee to drive within London – or a larger fine if this is not paid.
However, it allows drivers to claim a one-off payment of £2,000 if they scrap a vehicle that does not comply with the levy.
Susan Hall, the Conservative candidate for mayor of London, described Mr Khan’s move to block vehicles as ‘absurd’.
She told The Telegraph: ‘Londoners who choose to scrap their cars should have the freedom to decide for themselves if they want their car sent to support Ukraine.
‘Standing with Ukraine against tyrants like Putin is not only a moral imperative but also in the best interest of all Londoners and the global community.’
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London, told : ‘The Mayor is utterly appalled by Russia’s ongoing illegal invasion of Ukraine and the capital stands in solidarity with the millions of Ukrainians affected by this awful war.
‘Unfortunately, altering the ULEZ scheme for the purpose of exporting vehicles to Ukraine is not possible within the current limits of the GLA Act.
‘However Sadiq has asked his officials to work directly with Mayor Klitschko’s team to see how we can help promote this initiative from Ukrainian charities and the GLA also continues to work with its functional bodies and will support them in any vehicle donations that they can make through national donation schemes.’
Richard Lofthouse, who works with Car for Ukraine, which deliver 4x4s and trucks to the war effort, described Mr Khan’s move as showing a ‘lack of political courage’.
The news comes after it was revealed that Mr Khan’s controversial Ulez expansion generated £5.3million in its first week with 300,000 extra drivers charged for driving non-compliant vehicles within Greater London.
More than 425,000 ULEZ charges were paid in the week following the extension, compared to just 140,000 the week before.
At the start of the month, it was revealed that Kent MP Gareth Johnson was attempting to get the Greater London Low Emission Zone Charging (Amendment) Bill into law to reserve what he said was an ‘unfair stealth tax’ on his constituents.
Mr Johnson said: ‘This is an unfair stealth tax on the people of Dartford and across the south east, hitting the poorest the hardest. The London Mayor, Sadiq Khan has no mandate for this.’