Ministers urged to change the law in fight against London's ULEZ pollution zone expansion

Tap above for video report by Simon Harris

Ministers are being urged to change the law to give London councils the power to block Sadiq Khan’s controversial ULEZ extension. Conservative peer Lord Moylan has tabled an amendment to the government’s Levelling Up bill which would allow local authorities a greater say on the mayor’s plans. Mr Khan is facing growing opposition to his proposal to widen the Ultra Low Emission Zone to include every London borough.

Four London Labour MPs this week called on the mayor to postpone the August ULEZ expansion because of cost of living crisis.

Lord Moylan said: "In London, the outer London boroughs, including those of Labour MPs are very worried about ULEZ, very worried about it, being extended to the whole of their boroughs.

"There has not been any proper consultation - the balance of power is all wrong in this."

An estimated 200,000 drivers of older cars and vans which fail to meet modern emissions standards face a daily £12.50 charge to drive in Greater London from August 29. Four Tory-controlled outer London boroughs - Bexley, Bromley, Harrow and Hillingdon - are considering a legal challenge to the mayor’s scheme.

Labour mayor Sadiq Khan dismissed opposition from local authorities as a “vocal minority” on Thursday, and spoke of wanting to be on the “right side of history”.

Asked what he made of some Labour MPs also criticising the plan, Mr Khan said: “Evidence that this policy is not about party politics is the fact that it’s got some people are opposing it from the Labour Party as well as the Conservative Party.

“It’s really important to recognise that actually, the evidence is unequivocal.”

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