Sadiq Khan slammed for blocking plan to ship vehicles to Ukraine frontline

Sadiq Khan has been slammed for blocking a plan to ship vehicles that will be scrapped beneath Ulez guidelines to the Ukraine frontline.

The London Mayor has reportedly mentioned in a letter obtained by The Telegraph, that he’s towards sending autos – that are often 4x4s and pick-up vehicles – to the entrance line.

Mr Khan – responding to a letter from Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko –  mentioned he wouldn’t grant permission for vehicles to make there technique to the warn-torn nation because the proposal didn’t meet the ‘authorized threshold’. 

Mr Khan added that the scheme should profit Londoners from an ‘financial, social and environmental perspective’. 

The information comes as an enormous blow to the Ukrainian battle effort.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, volunteers have been driving donated 4x4s and bigger autos to assist troopers.

Sadiq Khan has been slammed for blocking a plan to ship vehicles that will be scrapped beneath Ulez guidelines to the Ukraine frontline 

The London Mayor has reportedly mentioned in a letter obtained by The Telegraph, that he’s towards autos – that are often 4x4s and pick-up vehicles – to the entrance line

The scheme, designed to restrict dangerous air pollution, signifies that anybody with a non-compliant automobile has to pay a every day £12.50 payment to drive inside London – or a bigger nice if this isn’t paid. 

However, it permits drivers to say a one-off cost of £2,000 in the event that they scrap a automobile that doesn’t adjust to the levy.

Susan Hall, the Conservative candidate for mayor of London, described Mr Khan’s transfer to dam autos as ‘absurd’.

She advised The Telegraph: ‘Londoners who select to scrap their vehicles ought to have the liberty to resolve for themselves if they need their automotive despatched to help Ukraine.

‘Standing with Ukraine towards tyrants like Putin is just not solely an ethical crucial but in addition in the most effective curiosity of all Londoners and the worldwide group.’ 

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London, advised MailOnline: ‘The Mayor is totally appalled by Russia’s ongoing unlawful invasion of Ukraine and the capital stands in solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians affected by this terrible battle.

‘Unfortunately, altering the ULEZ scheme for the aim of exporting autos to Ukraine is just not doable throughout the present limits of the GLA Act. 

‘However Sadiq has requested his officers to work straight with Mayor Klitschko’s crew to see how we can assist promote this initiative from Ukrainian charities and the GLA additionally continues to work with its practical our bodies and can help them in any automobile donations that they will make by way of nationwide donation schemes.’

Richard Lofthouse, who works with Car for Ukraine, which ship 4x4s and vehicles to the battle effort, described Mr Khan’s transfer as displaying a ‘lack of political braveness’.

The information comes after it was revealed that Mr Khan’s controversial Ulez growth generated £5.3million in its first week with 300,000 further drivers charged for driving non-compliant autos inside Greater London.

More than 425,000 ULEZ expenses had been paid within the week following the extension, in comparison with simply 140,000 the week earlier than.

At the beginning of the month, it was revealed that Kent MP Gareth Johnson was making an attempt to get the Greater London Low Emission Zone Charging (Amendment) Bill into regulation to order what he mentioned was an ‘unfair stealth tax’ on his constituents. 

Mr Johnson mentioned: ‘This is an unfair stealth tax on the individuals of Dartford and throughout the south east, hitting the poorest the toughest. The London Mayor, Sadiq Khan has no mandate for this.’