Conservative MP Theresa Villiers has proposed that the UK government should be granted the authority to review and override contentious transportation projects implemented by London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Villiers stated that the government should be allowed to intervene when “very serious concerns” arise regarding decisions related to transportation and air quality, including Khan’s expansion of the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) around the capital. Villiers’ suggestions, which could apply to other initiatives such as building on station car parks and low traffic neighborhoods, are unlikely to pass in their current form. The ULEZ means that vehicles unable to meet specific emission standards must pay a daily fee of £12.50 ($15) to drive, with fines for non-compliance. While Villiers acknowledged that local transport is the mayor’s responsibility, she believes that decisions affect the lives of people who commute into and out of the capital and the UK economy as a whole. The ULEZ expansion has faced criticism from some local councils and opposition groups, who argue that it disproportionately affects lower-income households and small businesses. In 2023, Transport for London revealed plans to expand the ULEZ to all of Greater London, requiring over 200,000 drivers to pay the daily charges from Aug. 29, 2023.