Agenda item

This motion was originally considered at the 29 March 2023 Full Council, where the Councillors resolved:

‘To seek advice on the ULEZ expansion scheme from West Sussex County Council as the local authority in the area for dealing with highways and transport-related matters and from the Council’s Sustainability and Climate Emergency teams and for the motion as originally worded by the proposer and seconder to be referred to the Full Council Meeting in July 2023 for a decision.’

To consider, in accordance with Full Council Procedure Rule 1.1-H, the following Notice of Motion to be moved by Councillor Crow and seconded by Councillor Ali.

The requested information is included as the appendix to this item.

The Council considered the Notice of Motion 1 ‘Opposing London Ulez Expansion’ -as set out on page 99 of the agenda.

This motion was originally considered at the 29 March 2023 Full Council, where the Councillors resolved:

‘To seek advice on the ULEZ expansion scheme from West Sussex County Council as the local authority in the area for dealing with highways and transport-related matters and from the Council’s Sustainability and Climate Emergency teams and for the motion as originally worded by the proposer and seconder to be referred to the Full Council Meeting in July 2023 for a decision.’

The Motion was moved and presented by Councillor Crow, who in doing so gave further explanation of the reasoning behind the Motion. As part of moving the Motion Councillor Crow commented that he would be aiming to move a further amendment from the floor in response to the published amendment, once that had been formally moved.

A Point of Order was called by Councillor Lamb, stating that Councillor Crow could not move such an amendment, because Full Council Procedure Rule 12.2, states:

an amendment MUST only seek to make the following change(s) to the original

recommendation or Notice of Motion:

a)      Refer the matter to an appropriate body or individual for (re)consideration.

b)      Remove words.

c)      Replace words.

d)     Insert additional words

In response Councillor Crow moved a Procedural Motion 13.1q, ‘To suspend a particular Full Council Procedure Rule’, with Full Council Procedure Rule 12.2 being proposed to be suspended.

The Mayor called for a vote on the proposed Procedural Motion amendment. There were 12 votes in favour, 19 against and 0 abstentions. The procedural motion fell.

Following the vote, the Mayor confirmed that the Point of Order raised by Councillor Lamb was indeed correct and as such Councillor Crow would not be able to move a verbal amendment if it amends the proposed Labour amendment.

Councillor Ali then seconded the Motion. 

Councillor Jones then moved and presented Amendment 1 (as shown in the Supplementary Agenda Order Paper). The Amendment was seconded by Councillor Yasmin Khan.

A single debate occurred on both the recommendation and the proposed amendment. Councillors McCarthy, Lunnon, Lanzer, C Mullins, Pritchard, S Mullins and Lamb all spoke during the debate.

Councillor Crow used the right to reply to speak at the end of the debate.

The Mayor called for a vote on the proposed amendment on the Motion. There were 19 votes in favour, 12 against and 0 abstentions. The amendment was carried.

The Mayor then called for a vote on the substantive Motion as amendment. There were 19 votes in favour, 0 against and 12 abstentions. The Motion was carried.

RESOLVED

This Council notes that: 

The London Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) currently covers the area within the North and South Circular Roads only. The aims of the ULEZ to improve air quality, reduce pollution and improve health.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, plans to extend the ULEZ to cover all London Boroughs from 29 August 2023.

On Thursday 16 February 2023, a coalition of five councils opposed to the ULEZ expansion, comprising four outer London Boroughs (Bexley, Bromley, Harrow and Hillingdon) and Surrey County Council, launched a Judicial Review to challenge TfL and the Mayor of London's decision to expand the ULEZ to outer London boroughs. 

The proposed ULEZ extension would mean its outer boundary would apply from Farthing Way (the A23) in Coulsdon, which is only 11.9 miles away from Crawley’s boundary on the M23 at Junction 9 near Gatwick, which can be a drive of under 15 minutes.  

The daily charge to enter the London ULEZ is £12.50 for vehicles that are not exempt, with the penalty for not paying set to rise to £180. 

The charge is levied from midnight to midnight, meaning that non-exempt vehicles entering the zone in the evening and exiting after midnight would be charged £25 for one trip to anywhere in London.

Many Crawley residents have a need to travel by car to outer London Boroughs for a variety of purposes, including work and specialist hospital appointments. 

Residents on lower incomes are more likely to own older vehicles that are not exempt from paying the ULEZ charge.    

This Council resolves: 

1)      to formally request, on behalf of Crawley residents, that the expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone be paused until after modelling is produced by TFL to evidence the anticipated scheme impacts on traffic flows/ emissions/ pollution levels outside Greater London, in a written representation to the Mayor of London from the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Sustainability and Climate Change

2)      to formally request that West Sussex County Council as the appropriate local authority responsible for Highways and transport matters match the mitigation package being provided in London for those local businesses within the Borough who can demonstrate that their business requires them to travel regularly into the new ULEZ.