Ulez should not be used as a political football in any upcoming elections the mother of a London schoolgirl and the first person to have air pollution listed on her death certificate has warned.
Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah has tirelessly campaigned for tougher air pollution legislation following the tragic death of her daughter Ella aged 9 from an asthma attack.
Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah told the BBC on Monday: “We should this morning be talking about children and the most vulnerable and this has now turned in to a political football”.
“The coroner was very clear that everyone needs to work together - the Department of Health, transport, the environment, the mayor of London’s office and all councils,” Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah said.
It came after Sir Keir Starmer has held talks with Sadiq Khan after blaming his Ulez expansion for Labour’s narrow defeat in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election on Thursday.
The Labour leader on Saturday called for “reflection” on how the expansion of the charge on polluting vehicles would be carried out after the party was beaten by the Conservatives in Boris Johnson’s old seat.
Ulez was first proposed by Mr Johnson in 2015, during his stint as London mayor. He said it was “an essential measure to help improve air quality in our city, protect the health of Londoners, and lengthen our lead as the greatest city on earth”.
Chris Skidmore, the UK Government’s net zero tsar, warned ministers against “playing politics” with environmental issues, arguing it could cost the Tories in the long run.
The Conservative MP said: “To do so would not only be deeply regrettable, it would be an abdication of responsible government that must put the lives and health of the public, and the opportunity for economic growth by investing in industries of the future, ahead of gamesmanship.
“It is also really bad politics, given that the environment and taking action on climate change consistently polls third in the issues that voters care about.
“Mainstream parties that don’t recognise the priorities of the public and are instead swayed by vocal minorities end up ultimately becoming minority parties in due course.”
Transport for London has installed almost two-thirds of the 2,750 Ulez enforcement cameras it planned to erect in outer London.
Mr Khan’s team defended his plan, saying only one out of 10 cars driving in outer London would face the charge, with a £110 million scrappage scheme available to help lower earners to upgrade their vehicles.
ULEZ is due to expand at the end of August from the boundary of the North and South Circular roads to the whole of Greater London, requiring drivers of the most polluting vehicles to pay an additional £12.50 a day.
