Dagenham and Rainham MP Jon Cruddas is among London's Labour politicians to call for a delay to the expansion of the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ). 

Mr Cruddas has described the Mayor of London’s plan to extend the zone on August 29 as “another unwelcome hit on working people in areas like Dagenham and Rainham”. 

The mayor, Sadiq Khan, announced his intention to incorporate the whole of Greater London into the scheme towards the end of last year. 

Once implemented, a £12.50 charge will be required for petrol vehicles that do not meet the Euro 4 standard, or Euro 6 for diesel cars, vans, minibuses and other vehicles. 

The mayor’s office has said more than four in five vehicles in outer London are already compliant, and that the £110million scrappage scheme is in-place to support low-income and disabled residents, as well as businesses and charities, that need to change. 

Romford Recorder: From August 29, the ULEZ will be extended to cover all of Greater LondonFrom August 29, the ULEZ will be extended to cover all of Greater London (Image: PA Graphics)

Mr Cruddas is reportedly one of three Labour MPs in London to have called for delays to the ULEZ extension, with the Evening Standard reporting Siobhain McDonagh, MP for Mitcham and Morden, and Seema Malhotra, MP for Feltham and Heston, have also raised the issue in the last few days. 

Mr Cruddas said the expansion should have been delayed until the cost-of-living crisis has eased. 

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“Dagenham and Rainham is home to many low-income workers who rely on their personal vehicles. The public transport infrastructure just isn’t there to support this policy. I will continue to challenge this in the strongest possible terms over the coming weeks and months.” 

A spokesperson for the mayor previously told the Recorder how there is “no time for inaction when around 4,000 Londoners die prematurely each year due to toxic air, and thousands more develop life-changing illnesses, such as cancer, lung disease, dementia and asthma”. 

“It’s people in outer London, particularly the poorest households who suffer the most from the damaging health effects of toxic air. In Havering around 178 people die prematurely every year due to air pollution,” they added.