Transport Secretary Mark Harper expressed his surprise at London Mayor Sadiq Khan for not having initiated contact with him earlier. This comes after the mayor requested the minister to enable the donation of Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) non-compliant vehicles to Ukraine. In a letter to the ministers, Mr. Khan and former defense secretary Ben Wallace urged the government to provide support towards the people of Ukraine.
Michael Gove also wrote to Mr. Khan asking about the obstacles preventing him from sending the vehicles. In response, Mark Harper expressed his surprise at the mayor for not contacting him earlier, pointing out that the ULEZ expansion scrappage scheme could provide a clear opportunity for helping the war-torn country. The transport secretary said his officials would be ready to support in identifying options to resolve the matter once Mr. Khan provides further information.
The ULEZ scrappage scheme enables Londoners to claim up to £2,000 when their non-compliant vehicles are scrapped. However, Mr. Khan’s office previously cited legal restrictions as preventing the alteration of the ULEZ scheme for exporting vehicles to Ukraine.
Michael Gove also expressed disappointment at the Greater London Authority’s reluctance to support Ukraine through the provision of vehicles that would otherwise be scrapped under the ULEZ scrappage scheme. Meanwhile, Sadiq Khan has stated that sending ULEZ non-compliant vehicles to Ukraine is not the best option due to their unsuitability for the country’s needs. Nonetheless, the government is keen to use every available means to support Ukraine and is seeking further clarity from Mr. Khan on the matter.