Furious ULEZ protester on hunger strike admits mayor Sadiq Khan unlikely to change mind on pollution
Tap above to watch video report by Simon Harris
A minicab driver has started a seven-day hunger strike in a protest against London’s new clean air zone.Prabhdeep Singh is refusing to eat while camping in a gazebo next to a baker’s shop in Uxbridge, west London.He claims the expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone will hit his private hire business because his car fails to meet modern emissions standards.Mr Singh, a former soldier, faces a daily £12.50 charge to ferry passengers to and from Heathrow Airport.The 41-year-old father of two from Reading, Berkshire, has previously staged a hunger strike over the cost of living.Speaking to ITV News he admitted his protest was unlikely to halt the ULEZ extension but denied it was a stunt.
"ULEZ is an extra burden on people when they are already battling against the cost of living crisis and food poverty," he told ITV News London. "We don't need it either, particularly in this area. That's why I am fighting against it - stop the expansion! "I will starve myself for seven days and that's long enough to get my message across and the attention of people.
"It is not a stunt. The mayor needs to listen to people, not dictate. It's on the mayor to rethink expansion.
Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan plans to expand the ULEZ to all London boroughs on August 29th despite growing pressure to delay the scheme.Party leader Sir Keir Starmer was one of several London Labours MPs calling on Mr Khan to reconsider after the party failed to win the recent Uxbridge & South Ruislip by election.The mayor last week increased to £150m the amount of cash available in his scrappage scheme and announced it was open to all Londoners.
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