‘This is another scheme to make money from us-we are the working poor’.

An NHS worker fears for the terrible impact the ULEZ will have across Havering and its residents.

A Havering NHS worker who has been working for the vaccination campaign will face a huge rise in bills if the Ultra Low Emission Zone is rolled out next year across Havering.

Marica calls herself the ‘working poor’ despite having worked over 25 years for the NHS and her husband all his life in East London. The family own two cars that they are paying for and neither are compliant with the ULEZ.

“We were told years ago that buying diesel cars was the best way, now we are told how bad they are. We are still paying for our cars, what are we supposed to? This is just another money making scheme, it has nothing to do with the environment.

“This scheme has many flaw, I have had experience with it. Last year in December I was working on Sunday’s as we were encouraging people to have their jabs so we were all called in to work. I set up an account under an auto pay scheme so that it would be paid automatically.

“I travelled to work into Tower Hamlets on a Sunday and within a week I had a £140 charge. I phoned TFL and told them I have an account, they said my account was locked. So I asked them for help which they didn’t give me, they just wanted the money paid.

“In January I had to travel on a Sunday again for work and this time called them to pay and they told me that because I had an account I had to pay using that. I explained that my account was locked and I just wanted to pay the charge and of course they didn’t help.

“I landed up paying two charges and all I had earned was £60.”

Marica fears for people who are already struggling in the borough and the impact it will have on them.

“You cannot just roll this scheme out, people will struggle badly. We are all facing huge rise in utility bills and a government that refuses to cap energy companies. Petrol is at an all time high. We really are the working poor.

“This scheme is inflexible and another way to get money from people. I live on Upper Rainham Road, there isn’t a tube station near me. Our cars are vital for us as they are for many people in this borough. There are many elderly people here in Havering who rely on their cars, how are they going to manage? There are also many areas of deprivation here and how are those families going to manage?

“My job is already stressful enough without adding this extra strain. They asked us to work Sundays for the vaccination roll out and then hit us with bills like this. I worry about the impact this will have on people who are already struggling, mothers who need to collect children and other families like us.”

Marica is now hoping a consultation programme will take place so residents can voice their concerns.