The expansion of ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) has resulted in a couple feeling 'disgusted' that they are faced with a £12.50 ULEZ fine every time they turn left from their driveway.

George and Vera Dowler's home is positioned precisely on the low emission zone border in Eltham.

The situation has resulted in George spending "nearly £40,000" on new vehicles, whilst his wife has resorted to parking her older car, which also does not meet ULEZ standards, at her work garage.

George has said: "[Sadiq Khan] has cost me nearly £40k in motors. I've had to buy a car and pay $7k on a new van", which he protests is no better than the one which he was forced to leave behind.

He disputes the notion that a newer vehicle pollutes less, questioning whether a van with 10,000 miles a year (which passes the check) would really pollute less than his old one, which can only do 5,000 miles in one year.

Vera explains how she's disgusted she must travel to her car to avoid the traffic light cameras present beside her home.

"It's all about the money"

George goes on the thorise: "It's all about the money. [If] people are still prepared to still use their old vehicles, the air would be exactly the same, so it's all about money."

He continues:

"What is the difference between the air here and the air the other side of the traffic lights".

Going onto to dispute the harmfulness of pollution altogether, he adds:

"I've been brought up around lorries and fumes, like thousands of other people. I'm 72 years of age, still fit as a fiddle. Surely it's not the air, surely it's the food that people eat. I just don't get it at all".

"What about the new F1 racing?"

Vera criticises the reported negotiations that the London Mayor plans to bring a Formula One track to the capital, believing it undermines his climate credentials. She describes it: "absolutely crazy!".

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London comments:

"We know toxic air pollution in London leads to 4,000 premature deaths a year, stunts the growth of children's lungs and worsens chronic illnesses, such as asthma."

"The bold action taken by Sadiq since he became Mayor has already led to a 94 per cent reduction in the number of Londoners living in areas that exceed the legal limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels."

"The gap between the most and least deprived areas for exposure to nitrogen dioxide has narrowed by up to 50 per cent."

"87 per cent of cars seen travelling in the expanded zone already meet the standards and to help more Londoners switch to cleaner vehicles, Sadiq has invested �61 million in scrappage schemes, which have helped replace or retrofit more than 12,000 vehicles since 2019."