ULEZ cameras vandalised as protest groups resist 'anti-car' policy and warn of large-scale disruption
Government told to expect civil disobedience on a “huge scale”
Protesters are vandalising and stealing cameras installed across London to enforce the latest expansion of the city’s ultra-low emissions zone (ULEZ) as opposition against the initiative from grassroots organisations and local governments grows.
Hundreds of cameras have already been taken down by the “Blade Runners” — an anti-ULEZ group — as Londoners prepare for a fresh ULEZ expansion, which will see the zone expanded to cover the whole of Greater London from the end of August.
Public opposition against the expansion is growing increasingly vocal, with another newly formed group called UK Unites claiming support from 2.5 million people across Britain. The group has warned the government to expect civil disobedience on a “huge scale” unless its ULEZ plans are revised.
“People aren’t bluffing”, Phil Elliott of UK Unites told The Times. “There’s just so many things wrong across the country affecting so many people and stressing them out, how could there not be civil disobedience?”
Elliott, a semi-retired HGV driver, said that his group could disrupt the food supply chain to ensure that its demands are met, pointing to the many farmers and hauliers who support his group and would be willing to help them achieve its aims. “Farming, haulage, food supply — you name it, we cover it. Remember, people need food to eat, and the farmers are working with us.”
Elliot warned of large-scale protests taking place in Britain if the ULEZ expansion went ahead, similar to the recent protests in France over pension reform.
“We’ve got all these people who are fed up [with] being ignored. You don’t need to be in power to get change, you just need pressure and numbers. We aren’t French — but there’s a lot of people saying we should be like the French.”
New ULEZ expansion to affect 160,000 motorists at first
The latest ULEZ extension is estimated to affect 160,000 car owners initially. However, Sadiq Khan expects that number to drop to 46,000 as motorists scrap their current vehicles and make the switch to more environmentally friendly cars. One of the key concerns cited by protesters is the cost of changing to a newer and less polluting car, which they say is out of reach to those with a limited budget.
The Mayor recently announced a £110 million scrappage scheme in line with the ULEZ expansion, which he said would help “Londoners on lower incomes, disabled Londoners, micro businesses and charities to scrap or retrofit their non-compliant vehicles” — though according to Elliott, it doesn’t go far enough.
“People just can’t afford new cars or the charges – people like carers who are on crap wages. They’re desperate.”
ULEZ cameras will continue to be targeted
In the meantime, the Blade Runners have promised to continue targeting every ULEZ camera in London, saying that they will take every one down, “no matter what”. Transport for London has reported 200 incidents of camera vandalism or theft so far — and the Metropolitan Police has set up a dedicated squad to investigate the incidents.
“We are carrying out a thorough investigation including gathering CCTV, speaking to potential witnesses and following up leads,” Detective Superintendent Daniel Smith said to The Times.
Many within anti-ULEZ circles accuse London Mayor Sadiq Khan of ignoring their concerns about the expansion.
“The more Khan tries to enforce this, the more resistance there will be,” said Nick Arlett, who runs the ‘Action Against Ulez’ Facebook group. “I don’t condone vandalism but I don’t blame these people. Khan simply isn’t listening. He’s ignoring democracy.”
ULEZ designed to improve air quality
The ULEZ expansion was first announced in November 2022 and is set to take effect from the August 29. The Mayor cited air quality concerns as a main reason for the expansion, saying that “around 4,000 Londoners die prematurely each year because of long-term exposure to air pollution, with the greatest number of deaths in outer London boroughs.”
Under the new expansion — which will reach as far as the M25 in places — nearly 300,000 motorists will find that their cars are not ULEZ-compliant and will have to swap their current vehicle for a more environmentally friendly model, or pay £12.50 a day to drive through London.
Many affordable petrol and diesel cars currently meet with the ULEZ requirements, so drivers don’t have to switch to hybrid or electric to comply.
The Mayor’s office has described the recent vandalisms as “never acceptable”. A spokesperson for the Mayor said: “The Mayor has been clear that expanding ULEZ was not an easy decision, but it was necessary to tackle toxic air pollution and the climate crisis.”
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