Havering’s anti ULEZ protesters attend judicial review hearing against the London Mayor.

The five outer London boroughs who have taken the London Mayor to court over the ULEZ expansion have argued that Sadiq Khan lacks the legal power to actually extend the expansion. Over the last few days the court has heard from lawyers for Harrow and Hillingdon,Surrey County Council, Bexley and Bromley.

This legal action ( Judicial Review) was launched earlier in the year and had seen calls by many Havering residents in the hope that Havering Council would also join this battle. The five councils are hoping that the judge will rule in their favour and allow them to stop the expansion. They have been challenging two legal points in court- the first is the actual legal basis of the scheme and the second the consultation over the shape of the scrappage scheme.

Leader of Havering Against ULEZ, Michelle who has been campaigning non stop across the borough and in London, has been at the Judicial Review court hearing and told the Havering Daily:

“On Tuesday I protested outside the court and yesterday I had a seat in the court room. I actually sat next to Sadiq Khan and TfL’s defence team, where they had three barristers present and an array of solicitors.

“Yesterday was their day to put their defence across.

“Please bear in mind that Havering Council refused to join the action. Havering have only ever asked Khan to delay ULEZ and have never asked for it to be stopped!
“There was a problem with the microphone in the court room and everyone was struggling to hear what was being said.The Judge asked lots of questions and appeared at some stages to give Khan’s defence team a bit of a hard time. The Judge even made comment that although Khan & TFLs defence ran into a 1000 pages, a particular item the Judge requested wasn’t listed, which was good!

“The fourteen people sitting beside me were very pleased when the Mayor’s/TFL Barrister confirmed something the judge asked for. Quite frankly it made me feel sick to my stomach that these individuals thought they scored a good point that in reality would cause misery and hardship to so many people in and around our outer london boroughs. They should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves!”

The Judge was unable to make a decision on the last day of the hearing. The High Court term ends at the end of July where they break up for summer recess. The ULEZ expansion is due to start on 29 August. The Judge is hoping to have his judgement before they break up for the summer.

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