The Conservative Group on Dartford Borough Council have written to KCC Leader Cllr Roger Gough and Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport Cllr David Brazier offering support to the County Council’s efforts to block the Mayor of London from installing ULEZ signage on land close to the London border.
The letter is sent on behalf of all Dartford’s Conservative Councillors and welcomes KCC’s robust approach to the Mayors ULEZ expansion, joining Surrey County Council and other London Councils in preventing Sadiq Khan placing signs and other infrastructure on land it controls.
The letter was coordinated by Cllr Kyle Stealey, who represents the Maypole & Leyton Cross ward, one of several local communities bordering Bexley on the ULEZ frontline.
Cllr Stealey said, “As someone who represents a ward on the border ULEZ is a big concern for my residents. People are unhappy about a £12.50 a day charge to simply go up the road. Even Sadiq Khan knows that the compliance is already increasing and there’s a very real fear that he will keep changing the rules of the scheme to keep the money flowing from the cash-cow he has created.
Leader of Group, and Council Leader, Jeremy Kite said; “The Dartford community are rightfully upset by the ULEZ charge being imposed on them. It’s a cruel and unfair tax on people who don’t have the benefit of being able to chop and change vehicles at will just because Sadiq Khan tells them what they must drive. Sadiq Khan is convoyed around town and probably doesn’t know what it’s like to need to save for a new vehicle. The money that many ordinary hard working residents could put towards a new greener vehicle is now being snatched by the London Mayor’s charges.”
Dartford Conservatives have been vocal opponents to the Labour Mayor’s plan, with a local petition running at over 30,000 signatures on change.org.