London Mayor faces battle in high court over Ulez expansion: Here’s everything you may want to know

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

London Mayor Sadiq Khan is currently involved in a legal battle over his proposal to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) in the city. Five Conservative-led councils have challenged the expansion in court, arguing that Khan's actions are unlawful. The court proceedings began today, and the verdict will be delivered at a later date.

The councils have raised four key issues in the legal hearing: insufficient consultation, failure to comply with statutory requirements, lack of a cost-benefit analysis and inadequate consideration of expected compliance rates in outer London. Khan's team has refuted these allegations and remains determined to win the case. The Ulez is an area in London where vehicles emitting high levels of pollutants are required to pay a fee for entering.

Initially introduced in central London in 2019, it was expanded to include the boundaries of the North and South Circular Roads. Khan's goal is to extend it across all 33 London boroughs, covering most of the roads within the M25 motorway. Khan's motivation for expanding the Ulez is to improve public health by reducing air pollution.

However, the effectiveness of the Ulez in addressing air pollution remains a topic of debate. Independent experts suggest there will likely be a moderate positive impact on nitrogen oxide levels and a minor positive impact on particulate matter emissions. If the Ulez expansion proceeds, nearly 700,000 drivers in London would be required to pay the £12.50 Ulez levy, according to analysis by the Royal Automobile Club (RAC).