Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers has presented a petition to Parliament asking the London Mayor not to implement the ULEZ charge across Barnet, and heap further misery on residents hit by cost of living increases.
Theresa told MPs that her petition has 2724 signatures, and that a London-wide version from the Conservatives had garnered the support of more than 50,000 people.
Theresa told MPs: "These petitions show how strongly people want to stop Labour’s new tax on driving in the suburbs. At a time of rising prices, many businesses and families will struggle to afford £12.50 a day or the cost of new vehicle."
“The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to press the Mayor of London to drop his proposals to extend the Ultra Low Emission Zone to cover Barnet and Greater London as well as his plans for pay-per-mile road charging.”
Theresa will also submit her petition to the London Mayor as she continues her campaign to stop ULEZ expansion.
The former Environment Secretary added: “Nothing has changed with this deeply flawed scheme that will hit the elderly, van drivers, and young families, who will struggle to pay this charge, but rely on their vehicles.
“It is the wrong scheme at the wrong time, and will have only a minimal impact on pollution."
“What the Mayor should be doing to improve air quality in the capital is clean up the TfL bus fleet and focus on pollution hotspots, rather than inflicting a punitive charge on struggling motorists and businesses. The Government has already given him millions of pounds to reduce emissions in this way.”