The woman living in Coney Hall, Bromley, contacted Conservative Councillor Josh Coldspring-White to tell him about the situation she was in.
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) scheme expansion last August and saw people across outer London being asked to pay £12.50 to drive if their car is not deemed environmentally friendly enough.
The topic was discussed at a Bromley Council meeting on March 11.
Cllr Coldspring-White said at the meeting: “After suffering a minor stroke, [the resident] began to recuperate by joining gym classes in Beckenham.
“Her car is non-compliant and she doesn’t feel able for the two buses and walk it would involve if she did not drive. She tried to replace her car, but even with the scrappage scheme, the prices are still out of reach.”
Speaking directly for the resident, the councillor said: “My life feels very restrictive as I cannot afford to visit friends and family.
“My choice to use certain supermarkets has been taken from me as I cannot afford to add £12.50 to my bill and all of this has a knock on effect of feeling less social interaction and isolation.”
The councillor was speaking in support of a motion put forward by the Conservative Group which claimed the ULEZ expansion had not served the best interests of people living in Bromley.
Conservative Councillor Colin Hitchins, who proposed the motion, said he wanted to send a clear message to the Mayor that outer London was not the ‘Bank of Khan’.
Conservative Councillor Thomas Turrell said: “The Mayor of London doesn’t seem to be able to demonstrate that he understands the difference between inner and outer London, and that’s what ULEZ is the most recent example of.”
Bromley Council put forward a legal challenge last year against the expansion as part of a coalition with four other local authorities.
The challenge was ultimately dismissed by the High Court and Bromley Council was asked to pay £147,853 in legal costs, which the Bromley Labour Group labelled as a ‘pointless waste of taxpayers’ money’.
Lib Dem Councillor Chloe-Jane Ross said at the meeting: “I do think it’s a big call to say that the best interests of the entirety of our borough are not served well by ULEZ. Considering how diverse our borough is, when we consider from Coney Hall to Crystal Palace.
“Cllr Coldspring-White talked about his ward, which is semi-rural, but we know that we are a borough of two halves. We have extremely urban areas in our borough that are highly congested.”
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “In Bromley, up to 204 people – the highest out of all London boroughs – lost their lives prematurely in 2019 due to toxic air pollution. Nowhere in Bromley currently meets World Health Organization recommended air quality guidelines.”
The spokesperson said that the ULEZ had proven to be highly effective in tackling air pollution and protecting public health. They said that on average 95 per cent of vehicles in London are compliant with the scheme and the scrappage scheme for drivers who need to replace their vehicles had been raised to £210million.
They added: “The ULEZ is not a money-making scheme and within a few years, as compliance increases, it will actually make a net loss. In the meantime any revenues raised are ringfenced and reinvested into London’s transport network, including investing in state-of-the art electric buses and improving transport links in outer London.”
