Why I was right to introduce the Ulez charge

When I first campaigned for the mayoralty of London, experts estimated it would take nearly two centuries to bring the capital's air quality within legal limits. The impact of poor air quality is particularly severe for the city's most vulnerable populations, including low-income and minority communities. The introduction of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) has emerged as a pivotal public health and environmental initiative, significantly reducing roadside nitrogen dioxide pollution by half since 2016. Despite its success, the expansion of Ulez across London last summer sparked significant debate. A coordinated misinformation campaign aimed to undermine the policy, while Conservative-led councils challenged the expansion in the High Court. This opposition appeared to be driven by a desire to leverage climate and clean-air issues for political gain, raising questions about the value of the Ulez expansion. However, the results speak for themselves, with pollution levels in outer London dropping by over 20% compared to a scenario without intervention. London is now home to the largest clean-air zone globally and boasts the biggest zero-emission bus fleet in Western Europe. Additionally, since my tenure began, over half a million trees have been planted, and the cycle network has quadrupled in size. My administration remains committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2030, with plans to electrify the bus fleet, clean up rivers, and support schools in their sustainability efforts. While challenges remain, confronting these issues head-on is essential for the future of our city.