So here we have it as set out in my earlier post LINK about media management of Sadiq Khans changes in the ULEZ scrappage scheme, Brent Council issued the following press release today complete with a picture of 'The Leader' who apparently helped influence the decision, with his letter written 2 days before the announcement:
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has announced that tens of thousands more Londoners, including all those receiving child benefit and all small businesses in the capital, will be eligible for financial support to replace polluting vehicles from the end of July.
This is part of a major extension of London’s biggest ever scrappage scheme ahead of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expanding to cover the whole of London - becoming the Greater Ultra Low Emission Zone (GULEZ) - on 29 August 2023.
The changes include:
- Allowing all Londoners receiving child benefit to apply
- Allowing all businesses with less than 50 employees to apply
- Allowing charities to scrap up to three vans instead of just one
A new grace period for sole traders, microbusinesses, small businesses, and registered charities who have ordered brand-new compliant vehicles, but have been informed that delivery will be delayed past 29 August when the larger zone goes live – or if they have booked an approved retrofit appointment for a non-compliant light van or minibus before that date.
The Mayor has also asked Transport for London (TfL) to actively monitor applications from care workers to ensure they are also benefiting from the money available.
The ULEZ expansion aims to take old and dangerous vehicles off the road to clean London’s air and tackle the health implications that come from pollution, like lung and heart disease.
In 2019, air pollution caused an estimated 4,000 deaths in London and data shows that residents in outer-London boroughs, like Brent, are disproportionally affected by poor air quality, especially those from BAME and low-income backgrounds.
Earlier this year, data showed that over a quarter of deadly particles have vanished in areas that expanded the Ultra Low Emission Zone last year. Pupils, students and local residents can breathe a sigh of relief at the expansion, as the report shows that ULEZ has cut toxic particles by nearly half in Central London.
Muhammed Butt, the Leader of Brent Council
The Leader of Brent Council, Cllr Muhammed Butt, wrote to Sadiq Khan earlier this week asking the Mayor to give more support to families and businesses.
He said: "I am delighted that, having listened to feedback, the Mayor has announced a major expansion to the scrappage scheme meaning tens of thousands more Londoners will benefit.
"Toxic air is damaging our health in Brent and affecting our children too. Your council is also doing its bit to improve air quality, including putting in place 30 School Streets, planting 4,533 new trees, installing over 454 charging points for electric vehicles and increasing the share of journeys made by walking, cycling and public transport to 69% - one of the highest figures in outer London.”
“We are proud of our work, but with the ULEZ expansion from 29 August - that is set to ensure five million more Londoners can breathe cleaner air - and an even bigger scrappage scheme, I am confident we can clean up Brent - and London's - air much faster, and for good.”
Visit the TfL website to find out more about the ULEZ, including the scrappage scheme and to check if your vehicle is compliant.
And Brent Council tweeted the claim on their official Twitter account:
5 comments:
When Martin was publishing my weekly "Local History in Lockdown" articles in 2020, to provide some illustrated local interest material to help lift the gloom of Covid for people having to adapt to life without leaving home, Brent Archives began to share the "links" to them on their social media.
Then someone higher up in Brent Council (middle management) ordered them to stop sharing "links" to the pieces, even though they simply contained local history stories (with many of the illustrations coming from Brent Archives), because "Wembley Matters" was 'a party political website', and no Brent social media was allowed to be used for party political purposes.
The words DOUBLE STANDARDS spring to mind. It appears to depend on what political party the material (or propaganda) is for!
Official Advice from Brent Council - if you want us to publish something please ensure:
1. It includes a picture of like Butt (Leader of Brent Council) he likes his picture at least 7 times in the Brent Magazine
2. Don’t forget to praise the Leader - he likes that too - even he has not done anything useful
3. Say how wonderful the Labour Party in Brent is and above all make sure you rubbish the Tories, the Lib Dem’s and that “hard left” Martin Francis!
All 3 are essential for the publication to be approved by the Leader - being a man of detail (control freak) the highly esteemed Leader unless these simple rules are followed will veto any publication.
They [The council or Cllrs] cannot stop anyone from posting anything. The internet is public and the council have no powers to stop posts.
Never listen to them, they are full of idiots
The majority of Londoners will be charged and excluded by design from owning vehicles by 2040- By then it will be Vehicle Conservation Areas Only.
No new vehicle main roads being built/ car-free tower city massive population growth zones are clues.
It will be interesting to see how all Londoners are by planners to be infrastructure enabled to move around with ease locally and city wide, with good quality and fair planned in travel choices for all by 2041?
A new Travel London beyond Vehicle Only Conservation Areas needs to start happening in the here and now.
Perhaps Cllr Butt could write to Mr Khan and demand that he reinstates the cut in funding for main A roads which is the responsibility of the Mayor to pay for. Most bus stop areas are a mass of large potholes due to the Labour Mayor's neglect.
As Mr Khan raised he Council Tax by cumulative 30% in 3 years it would be nice if he actually did something useful for residents in Brent.
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