Outer London Councils Take on ULEZ Expansion in High Court
Bexley, Bromley, Harrow, Hillingdon, and Surrey County Council are fighting back against the Mayor’s plan to extend the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). They launched legal action in February to block the ULEZ spread beyond the North and South Circular roads.
Judge Greenlights Legal Challenge Over £12.50 Daily Charge
In April, a judge allowed the case to proceed, ruling some council concerns were valid. The ULEZ extension means drivers with older, non-compliant vehicles in outer London could face a daily charge of £12.50. The new zone would cover parts of Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, and Surrey.
Councils Slam ‘Flawed’ Consultation and Scrappage Scheme
The councils argue the ULEZ expansion breaks legal rules, ignores actual compliance rates, and pushed through a scrappage scheme without proper consultation. They claim the whole consultation was flawed and no real cost-benefit analysis was done.
High Court to Decide Fate of ULEZ Expansion
The High Court will focus on two main issues: the legal basis for the ULEZ itself and the scrappage scheme. A mayoral spokesperson welcomed the court’s rejection of most council claims but vowed to fight hard to push ahead with expansion plans.
The showdown begins at 10am Tuesday before Mr Justice Swift. His decision could shape London’s air quality future — and the wallets of drivers across the capital.
