Local authorities ‘should not have the power’ to launch car tax changes, warn campaigners

'Clean air zone' plans mean diesel drivers could face charges

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The Parliament petition says local authorities should have their powers to issue Clean Air Zone (CAZ), Low Emissions Zone (LEZ) and Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) fees revoked. Local areas should not be able to launch fees for petrol and diesel drivers “tied to public road usage” or “create charges for vehicle use”.

 

Instead, they warn drivers should “have the right” to use the roads “without paying fees”.

The Petition said: “Revoke local government powers to charge CAZ, LEZ, and ULEZ.

“Local governments should not have the power to introduce charges tied to public road usage and create charges for vehicle use that have a Certificate of Conformity, meaning that they comply with strict legislation regarding safety, emissions, etc… at the time of production.

“The buyer should have the right to use his vehicle on public roads without paying fees to various councils until it is no longer roadworthy or the UK Government deems it otherwise.”

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More than 33,000 signatures have so far been received for the poll which was launched by Imants Kundzins.

Just 10,000 signatures are usually needed for a Government response.

Today, an update on the poll was published saying the Government “will respond to this petition soon”.

At 100,000 signatures, the petition will be considered for debate in Parliament.

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The deadline for signatures on the poll has been set for May 15, 2022.

Four schemes are already in operation across the UK with two more set to launch at the start of 2022.

London’s ULEZ scheme was expanded in October to cover almost all boroughs inside the North and South Circular.

Bath, Birmingham and Portsmouth also all launched schemes in 2021.

Bradford and Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone projects are set to begin this spring.

The new petition is not the first calling for changes to a major Clean Air Zone.

A Change.org poll calling for a stop to Manchester’s Clean Air Zone charge has so far reached over 45,000 signatures.

A poll that demanded an end to the expanded ULEZ has now reached 166,000 signatures, despite the scheme already launching.

A Parliament petition calling for the ULEZ expansion to be stopped was also previously successful but was rejected by the Government.

They said: “Petitions must call for a specific action that the UK Government or Parliament are directly responsible for.

“Decisions about the ULEZ and London scrappage schemes are a matter for Transport for London and the London Assembly, not the UK Government or House of Commons.

“As a result, it is not possible for the Government or House of Commons to take the action you have requested.”

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