We, the undersigned Newham residents, ask Newham Labour council that with immediate effect, scrap the emission-based charge tax for ULEZ compliant cars in Newham. 

Right in the middle of Covid-19 Pandemic when people had lost their jobs and were struggling to pay for food, rents/mortgages and bills, Newham Labour council decided to force its own residents to pay the emission charge TAX twice for first, second and third cars in Newham even though our cars in Newham were ULEZ compliant. 

Now, right in the middle of cost-of-living crisis, Newham Labour council has decided to increase the emission charge tax from 08 August 2023. Originally it was 04 July, but it was changed to 08 August due to the twin by-elections in Wall End and Boleyn on 13 July 2023, we understand. As a result, Newham residents will now be forced to pay even higher emission-based charge tax for their first, second and third ULEZ compliant. Emission charge tax is clearly a double TAX that Newham motorists are forced to pay when our cars in Newham are ULEZ compliant. 

Newham Labour council should be honest that this is about income generation/money making and not reducing emissions as no evidence is given in any of the publications justifying that charging for parking reduces car use and therefore, emissions. If the council is serious about reducing car use, they need to develop community car clubs, and have more community police on the streets and staff on public transport as many people will not use public transport or walk at night because of safety concerns. Newham Labour council need to understand that for many people in Newham, a car is a necessity! Those who propose walking and cycling need to try surviving without a car if they have children and caring for family members and what that lifestyle is like in terms of shopping and fulfilling caring responsibilities. Also, many older and disabled people would have no life if they did not have access to a car. We need a serious medium term green strategy which includes reducing car use but not increasing the misery of poverty for the thousands of people in Newham struggling to survive.

Newham residents never paid for the first car parking permits regardless the emission charge tax and should never pay it especially for ULEZ compliant cars.

Newham Labour council has also decided to remove the 30 Free Visitor parking Permits that were available to residents every year with no cars. These 30 Free Visitor parking Permits were very helpful for Newham residents when their daughters, sons and other relatives wanted to see their mums or dads or other relatives, but Newham Labour council has just come up with an idea that its own residents must now tell Newham Labour council what cars their visitors will be driving for emission taxing purposes in case their visitors wanted to see their loved ones. 

I, Councillor Mehmood Mirza from Boleyn ward elected as the first independent councillor on 13 July 2023, start this petition in the hope that Newham Labour council will listen to its very residents that elect them and scrap the First, Second and Third cars emission-based charge tax simply because we in Newham drive ULEZ compliant cars and should not be forced to pay twice for the emission charges. I also ask the Newham Labour council to keep the 30 Free Visitor Permits per year to allow our loved ones to visit their loved ones.

Please sign this petition and send a clear message to Newham Labour council that we are very disappointed and angry with their undemocratic decisions of forcing us to pay for something that we are not supposed to. Also, there must always be a proper consultation conducted where every resident is given an opportunity to take part in. 

Cllr Mehmood Mirza

Local, Active, Visible