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London Mayor candidate Howard Cox joins protest in Orpington over ULEZ expansion
14:18, 13 May 2023
Dozens of furious drivers have descended on a roundabout to protest the incoming Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charge.
Demonstrators gathered on the A232 near the War Memorial in Orpington to voice their concerns about the scheme, which is set to expand to the Kent border in August.
Footage at the scene shows protestors waving placards and cars being driven repeatedly around the roundabout.
The ULEZ scheme is designed to cut emissions in London to improve air quality and public health.
But it has been met with criticism as it would mean drivers of older, more polluting vehicles would have to fork out £12.50-a-day to drive in the zone.
It currently covers the majority of London, but in three months time it will expand to all 33 boroughs including Bexley and Bromley on the Kent border, and even parts of Dartford.
The protest was scheduled to be held between midday and 2pm today. It follows a previous protest in March.
Cranbrook campaigner Howard Cox, who has entered the London mayoral race, was in attendance.
The Reform Group candidate has vowed he will scrap ULEZ if he wins next year’s contest and has pledged to axe the controversial ‘clean air’ charge introduced by current mayor Sadiq Khan.
The founder of the Fair Fuel UK campaign wants rid of the whole scheme, not just its expansion to outer London, set to come in this August.
Sharing footage from today’s protest on social media, he wrote: “I’m at the anti-ULEZ rally in Orpington. Great turnout.
“Really sensible common sense people chosen by Sadiq Khan to be fleeced from August 29.”