Surrey County Council Cllr Nick Harrison
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council nicholas.harrison@surreycc.gov.uk
105 Tattenham Crescent
Epsom Downs
Surrey KT18 5NY
29 July 2022
Mr Sadiq Khan
Mayor of London
Clean Air Consultation
Transport for London
By email to: cleanairyourview@tfl.gov.uk
Dear Mr Khan
Re: Have Your Say Improve Air Quality, Climate Emergency and Congestion
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the GLA’s consultation.
I am not a scientist and urge you to be sure that the environmental cost will be truly worth the additional cost to residents, particularly as the issue will be self-correcting as vehicles are replaced by more electric and other environmentally friendly vehicles.
I of course understand that London already has a ULEZ, and that being the case there will be the question of a boundary. There will always be issues impacting business activities, journeys to work, health, schooling, as well as shopping and personal journeys across the boundary, wherever it is set.
My division in Surrey is right against the boundary with LB Sutton, and my residents will be particularly impacted by an extension of ULEZ. It includes the Preston estate, much of which was developed as London Overspill social housing, and to which LB Sutton and LB Merton retain nomination rights. It has one of the highest IMD’s in Surrey. These residents may frequently need to cross the boundary, will have older vehicles and will be the least able to afford the costs. Given the current economic position, implementation of an extended ULEZ should at least be deferred whilst we are in this cost of living crisis.
The standard of public transport from Surrey into London is much poorer than that provided by TfL within London. I urge TfL’s continued support to funding cross border bus services as a quid pro quo for the wider ULEZ.
Many residents in Surrey have regular appointments in London Hospitals. The local NHS Hospital Trust for the north of our Borough is Epsom & St Helier NHS Trust, which operates fully on a cross- border basis, with certain specialties and treatments centred on one hospital or the other, either in London or Surrey. There is an additional cost burden for some patient groups who may have older vehicles, and this could be onerous. Exemption in these circumstances is sought for NHS patients and their families and those with special needs.
There is a particular problem with the new Sutton Hospital (in development) and the existing Royal Marsden Hospital which serve many Surrey residents, and are just metres inside the London boundary. Drawing the boundary so as to exclude these two hospitals is recommended and would have a very marginal impact on the integrity of the ULEZ scheme (to exclude a short section of B2230 Brighton Road, Downs Road, Pelton Avenue and B2218 Cotswold Road).
My further request is to ask, in equity, that monies collected from Surrey residents from a wider ULEZ scheme be used to support a scrappage scheme for Surrey residents, on the same lines as that proposed for London residents.
I hope these comments are helpful in reaching a sensible conclusion to your consultation.
Yours sincerely
Nick Harrison
County Councillor, Nork & Tattenhams
Borough Councillor, Tattenham Corner & Preston