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Sadiq Khan Rapha teeSadiq Khan encourages Londoners to give up cars
The Mayor of London today urged people to 'give up their cars'.
Khan said that the country could avoid a 'health crisis' if more people ditched their vehicles and warned it was the poorest who were most affected by poor air quality.
Khan, also suggested the capital's roads should be reserved for those who cannot find alternatives, such as black-cab drivers and emergency services.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, the 50 year-old, who can bunny hop, said: "Where you can give up using cars, I would encourage that.
“We can avoid a health crisis that is around air quality and obesity but [it] will also mean that those who do need to use the roads for good reason, be that you are a black-cab driver, electrician, plumber, blue-light services, delivery driver and so forth, are not stuck in traffic and frustrated about productivity when others who have alternatives aren’t using them.”
Khan, whose policies have helped to cut toxic air in parts of the capital by more than a third since he was elected five years ago, said he is determined to do more by expanding London’s ultra-low emission zone from October 25 across the area within the North and South Circular roads.
It will mean most pre-September 2015 diesel and pre-2005 petrol cars — of which there are 337,000 registered in this area of London — will pay a £12.50 daily fee every time they drive inside the zone.
If a car were driven every day this would cost £4,500 a year.
Motorists who then go into central London would face a further congestion charge of £15. Khan is also considering a 'boundary charge' of £3.50 for drivers from the rest of the country coming into greater London.
This is in stark contrast to Shaun Bailey, the Conservative mayoral candidate, who pledged to scrap the plans claiming it would hit the poorest hardest.
Khan, disagreed with his rival, and said: “It’s the poorest Londoners, who are least likely to own cars, who suffer the worst consequences of bad-quality of air.
“It’s children living in the poorest parts of London who will have stunted lungs for ever because of the bad-quality air, and adults who don’t own cars who have heart conditions and cancer because of poor-quality air.
“I announced my plans in 2017 to give people time to transition away from the old non-compliant vehicles if they don’t want to walk, cycle or use public transport.”
He added: “The choice for our generation should be: are we the last generation not to get it, or the first generation to get it?
"I think it’s a false choice about addressing the climate change emergency or damaging the economy.”
Latest Comments
- bianchi51 3 min 27 sec ago
The Redshift bar has its potential uses; I've had a Giant Defy for a few years and I'm not as flexible now as when I bought it. I would really like...
- the little onion 4 min 33 sec ago
"denim clad pedestrians" or "wool/cotton mix clad drivers" or "polyester clad scooterists" just doesn't have the same ring to it.
- the little onion 5 min 41 sec ago
Methinks the car salesman has no understanding of what the term "right of way" means in law, nor of property law, easements etc.
- David9694 18 min 22 sec ago
Petrol prices are soaring - and could soon go well above 150p a litre...
- Benthic 39 min 22 sec ago
The thing is, motorists' killing grounds are not limited to schools, hospitals and nurseries and their environs.
- Benthic 42 min 6 sec ago
Highway Code rule 237 If you are dazzled by bright sunlight, slow down and if necessary, stop.
- Benthic 44 min 31 sec ago
'Suitable advice' can already be found in the Highway Code.
- Secret_squirrel 1 hour 27 min ago
Im betting these come out of the same factory as the SG and the Grip grab gloves. Identical apart from the Silicon overlay....
- Steve K 1 hour 32 min ago
Oh, and for long rides (100 miles ish) a whole pack of fig rolls and a couple of jam sandwiches normally does my fuelling.
- stonojnr 1 hour 44 min ago
That "old lane" as you call it, is 1) very much open, some misguided cyclists still use it. I used it once, vowed never to again and I block ride...
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13 comments
I did meet Sadiq Khan a while back by the way. He spoke to me, my elder son and my neighbour and we had an interesting chat about various local issues (crime) as well as education (as both my son and his child were completing their A levels at the time). He seemed a decent chap.
And he can bunny hop a road bike
and cue all the faux-moralising as to a range of infirmities, illnesses and afflictions that, strangely, all lead specifically to one thing: "I must have a car because". Clearly there will be genuine cases, but bullies and chancers will hide behind these as usual.
When I debated this last year in my local Echo, it turned out that (I) the city's job economy depended on motor traffic (ii) a huge proportion of the workforce appeared declare itself unable to ride a bike say 4 miles. Is everyone a desk jockey?
It's even more maddening that people claim it will 'hit the poor hardest'. Less than half of Londoners own a car, and the poorest are least likely to do so. It's likely to 'inconvenience the rich', not the poor.
Firstly, you would have to point out that these urban Mayors were a Tory idea. The last 12 months has shown the idea of having somebody actually representing the views of the majority in those cities to be rather inconvenient for them.
Secondly, Khan is talking about this ahead of a Mayoral election.Exactly the way democracy is supposed to work.
Sounds good. And to lead by example, is Sadiq going to give up cars for good, including taxis, and for his entourage? No? Then nor should anyone else.
He actually stated "Where you can give up using cars, I would encourage that." Seems fairly reasonable, and not quite as all or nothing as the Sunday Times would have us believe....
I've got to admit in the face of a climate/ pollution/ congestion/ resource/ obesity crisis the sentiment seems pretty tame to me, and that alone should have people reducing their car use, without the need to wait and see others doing so - we're grown-ups, not children ffs
Like I said, sounds good. Can I call Sadiq to fix my plumbing or what?
His message is so tame and docile it's barely audible; I don't see how it will make a difference.
No, Sadiq probably won't fix your plumbing, he'd call Elian the cycling plumber
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiT-t3yeCqU
who would admittedly have to come from Paris, but only because UK tradesmen haven't caught on to the possibilities of electric cargo bikes for getting around in urban areas.
The plumber I use here in South London uses a cargo bike. He says it saves a fortune in parking fees.
Although certain (no longer here) posters were moaning that the electric bikes weren't secure for parcels or work equipment. So vans are so secure that workmen never have to put third party locks and signs stating no tools left in van.
Here's a bunch who travel round on Bromptons, so their transport just becomes their toolkit when they arrive.
http://vellolondon.com
Aww man, now you're not even making any sense. Have a great week.
That's just daft. In this very interview he is quoted as talking about the fact that if those who don't need to use a car for their journey don't it will make the journey easier for those who do. I imagine there are occasions when he would need to use a car/cars, and occasions when he wouldn't and would hope and expect to see him follow his own advice and not use it where it was unnecessary.
Giving up the car for good is not what he is asking people to do if there is a genuine need for one.