LOCAL MP Stephen Metcalfe has condemned Mayor of London's Sadiq Khan's ULEZ expansion as a tax on friends, family and funerals.

He says that instead of helping to increase the affordability of electric cars, the Mayor has decided to penalise drivers with a new tax.

Highlighting the fact that many people in Thurrock and the surrounding area outside the M25 would have to pay £12.50 simply to drive into Upminster to attend a funderal at Corbets Tey, Mr Metcalfe says constituents in South Basildon and East Thurrock are overwhelmingly opposed to the expansion of the ULEZ charge zone.

He says: "It is a tax on friends, family and funerals. It means that if you cross Greater London's boundaries to visit a close friend, care for a sick relative or attend a family member's funeral in a car that does not meet ULEZ Emissions Standards, you will be taxed to do so.

"The ULEZ expansion is even worse for businesses and tradesmen and women. If you cross Greater London's boundaries for work every day in a non-ULEZ-compliant vehicle, you will be charged over £3,000 a year!

"It is not just Basildon and Thurrock who are opposed to the Mayor's cash grab – most of the people who took part in public consultation were also strongly opposed to the ULEZ expansion. Around 70 per cent of Outer Londoners and 80 per cent of business-owners were against the expansion.

"Outer London is very different to Inner London. It does not have the same levels of pollution and thousands of people, including those in Basildon and Thurrock, move across Greater London's boundaries by car every day.

"Moreover, the Mayor has given drivers only nine months to prepare for the expansion. This means that, with rising energy bills and inflation, households in Essex will have to put aside extra money to pay the daily charge or buy a modern ULEZ-compliant vehicle which is unaffordable for many."

In December, Mr Metcalfe co-signed Gareth Bacon MP's open letter against ULEZ expansion which was published in The Telegraph.

Subsequently, he asked the Prime Minister, at Prime Minister's Questions, to urge Transport Secretary Mark Harper to use all the powers at his disposal to reverse the Mayor's 'disastrous' decision.

Last month Mr Metcalfe, along with a group of MPs from Outer London, met with the Transport Secretary to highlight their serious concerns.

From there, more and more MPs from across the House of Commons started to voice their opposition to the Mayor's plans.

Today (Monday, 6 March) he is urging the Leader of the House for an urgent statement on the discussions the Communities Secretary has had with Sadiq Khan on his prejudicial tax.

Mr Metcalfe said: "I have been frank in Parliament – this is a friends, family and funeral tax on everyone who lives around Greater London's boundaries.

"To improve air quality, we should increase the affordability of electric cars with tax credits and incentives – not punish the owners of older cars with the ULEZ tax.

"I strongly believe the expansion should be cancelled and I will continue to fight against it."