a. Councillor Jonny Cope to move that
"this Council
(i) opposes the Mayor of London’s extension of the ULEZ to the boundary of Greater London;
(ii) notes that the expansion affects not only Londoners and will cause many Surrey Heath residents and businesses to pay £12.50 a day just to drive a car to carry out their trade or visit relatives; many simply cannot afford to do this;
(iii) notes that, for many of its residents, their car is the only reliable option to visit outer London, particularly given the reduced public transport options compared with inner London; punishing those who cannot afford to buy a more modern vehicle is deeply unfair and out of touch, particularly at a time when the cost of living is increasing;
(iv) calls on the Mayor of London to listen, rethink this flawed policy and instead invest in improving the public transport network in outer London to make it easier for people to make more sustainable transport choices; and
(v) asks the Leader of the Council to write to the Mayor of London expressing this Council’s opposition to ULEZ expansion to outer London and calling on the Mayor to cancel the expansion."
Minutes:
It was moved by Councillor Jonny Cope and seconded by Councillor Shaun Garrett that
"this Council
(i) opposes the Mayor of London’s extension of the ULEZ to the boundary of Greater London;
(ii) notes that the expansion affects not only Londoners and will cause many Surrey Heath residents and businesses to pay £12.50 a day just to drive a car to carry out their trade or visit relatives; many simply cannot afford to do this;
(iii) notes that, for many of its residents, their car is the only reliable option to visit outer London, particularly given the reduced public transport options compared with inner London; punishing those who cannot afford to buy a more modern vehicle is deeply unfair and out of touch, particularly at a time when the cost of living is increasing;
(iv) calls on the Mayor of London to listen, rethink this flawed policy and instead invest in improving the public transport network in outer London to make it easier for people to make more sustainable transport choices; and
(v) asks the Leader of the Council to write to the Mayor of London expressing this Council’s opposition to ULEZ expansion to outer London and calling on the Mayor to cancel the expansion."
Members discussed the motion and heard concerns about the effect of the expansion of ULEZ on Surrey Heath residents, in particular for small businesses; it was also recognised that poor public transport links affected visiting outer London by such means. Furthermore, whilst it was recognised that improving air quality was critical, it was suggested by some Members that the expansion of ULEZ would have a negligible benefits in improving air quality.
The Council also heard views in support of the Mayor of London’s attempt to limit pollution from the most polluting vehicles. However, it was felt that the economic impacts of the expansion needed to be addressed by introducing a fully funded scrappage scheme, before the Zone was expanded. Concerns about poor public transport links were also endorsed.
It was moved by Councillor Richard Wilson and seconded by Councillor Mary Glauert that the motion be amended as follows:
“thisCouncil
(i)
opposes the Mayor of London’s extension of
the ULEZ to the boundary of Greater Londonbelieves everyone has the right to clean air and
recognises the need to improve air quality within Greater London,
Surrey Heath and the entire country due to the chronic and acute
health implications of pollution on young and vulnerable people and
those with respiratory illnesses in
particular;
(ii)
notes that the expansion affects not only
Londoners and will cause many Surrey Heath residents and businesses
to pay £12.50 a day just to drive a car to carry out their
trade or visit relatives; many simply cannot afford to do
this cost-of-living crisis
has increased travel costs putting substantial pressure on many
people’s budgets;
(iii)
notes that, for many of its residents, their car
is the only reliable option to visit outer London, particularly
given the reduced public transport options compared with inner
London; punishing those who cannot
afford to buy a more modern vehicle is deeply unfair and out of
touch, particularly at a time when the cost of living is
increasing the ULEZ expansion
affects not only Londoners and will cause some Surrey Heath
residents and businesses to pay £12.50 a day just to drive a
car to carry out their trade orpersonal business,although thehope
is thatthey do notpay andfind a less polluting way of travelling
instead;
(iv)
calls on the Mayor of London to listen, rethink
this flawed policy and instead invest in improving the public
transport network in outer London to make it easier for people to
make more sustainable transport choices; andnotes that, for many Surrey Heath residents,
their car is the only reliable optionfor effectiveand
efficienttravel, particularlygiven thepoor provision of public
transport across Surrey and outer London;
(v)
asks the Leader of the Council to write to the
Mayor of London expressing this Council’s opposition to ULEZ
expansion to outer London and calling on the Mayor to cancel the
expansion calls on the Mayor
of London and the Secretary of State for Transport to work together
to resolve concerns surrounding ULEZ expansion by delaying its
introduction until a car scrappage scheme that is fully funded for
residents outside of Greater London is in place, whilst also
accelerating improvements to the poor provision of public transport
offered to Surrey Heath residents;
(vi) asks the Leader of the Council to write to the Member of Parliament for SurreyHeath, theLeader ofSurrey CountyCouncil, theMayor ofLondon and the Secretary of State for Transport to request they work together urgentlyto improvepublictransport,to stimulate sustainable activetravel and to reduce airpollution overall forSurrey Heath residents goingabout their daily lives within the Borough and beyond; and
(vii) reaffirmsits commitmentto understandand supportaddressing ofair pollution issues within the Borough as a priority.”
The amendment was debated and, whilst differing opinions remained on how effective the expansion of ULEZ would be for improving air quality, along with a suggestion that residents would prefer the expansion to be cancelled entirety, there was consensus that it was important to send a message that the current approach was not sustainable. Councillor Jonny Cope therefore accepted the amendment without a vote and it consequently became the substantive motion.
RESOLVED that this Council
(i) believes everyone has the right to clean air and recognises the need to improve air quality within Greater London, Surrey Heath and the entire country due to the chronic and acute health implications of pollution on young and vulnerable people and those with respiratory illnesses in particular;
(ii) notes that the cost-of-living crisis has increased travel costs putting substantial pressure on many people’s budgets;
(iii) notes that theULEZ expansion affects not only Londoners and will cause some Surrey Heath residents and businesses to pay £12.50 a day just to drive a car to carry out their trade orpersonal business,although thehope is thattheydo not pay andfind a less polluting way of travelling instead;
(iv) notes that, for many Surrey Heath residents, their car is the only reliable optionfor effectiveand efficienttravel, particularlygiven thepoor provision of public transport across Surrey and outer London;
(v) calls on the Mayor of London and the Secretary of State for Transport to work together to resolve concerns surrounding ULEZ expansion by delaying its introduction until a car scrappage scheme that is fully funded for residents outside of Greater London is in place, whilst also accelerating improvements to the poor provision of public transport offered to Surrey Heath residents;
(vi) asks the Leader of the Council to write to the Member of Parliament for SurreyHeath, theLeader ofSurrey CountyCouncil, theMayor ofLondon and the Secretary of State for Transport to request they work together urgentlyto improvepublic transport,to stimulate sustainable activetravel and to reduce airpollution overall forSurrey Heath residents goingabout their daily lives within the Borough and beyond; and
(vii) reaffirmsits commitmentto understandand supportaddressing ofair pollution issues within the Borough as a priority.
Note: in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.5 it was noted that Councillor Valerie White abstained from voting.