For all the Tories’ criticism of Ulez, the Government has once again failed to act

SIR – The expansion of the ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) to all London boroughs is imminent. The Tories have alleged that Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, made “false” and “dishonest” claims to the London Assembly over the scheme’s consultation. Furthermore, his office funded scientists who published studies on Ulez’s effectiveness, and he then sought to discredit those whose findings contradicted the claims about its impact (report, August 20).

The Government has the means to ban the expansion but has chosen not to. A full explanation of why is surely the least that we might expect. The Prime Minister would have scored a lot of brownie points had he stepped in.

Susan Hall, the Tory candidate for the mayoral election next May, has promised to scrap the Ulez expansion if she is successful (Comment, August 24). She must make this the central theme of her campaign. If she does, she will be at least half way to winning. 

Peter Higgins
West Wickham, Kent

SIR – Will the Ulez charge be another poll tax?
Gail Dodds
Lindfield, West Sussex

SIR – Matthew Lesh highlights the Government’s anti-tech agenda (“The UK is regulating itself into a backwater”, Comment, August 23). This should not surprise readers.

In 1865 the government introduced the Red Flag Act, compelling an individual carrying a flag to walk 60 yards in front of a “road locomotive”. This set back progress in our fledgling automotive industry by decades. Nothing has changed.

John Urwin
Hitchin, Hertfordshire

SIR – Michael Miller (Letters, August 24) mentions particulates in his claim that Ulez will improve health by reducing emissions, leading to cleaner air. It’s not that simple. Emissions are not only from exhausts. Electric cars are much heavier and can emit higher levels of dangerous respirable particulate matter from brakes and tyres that are damaging to health.Gases are retained transiently in the lungs but particulates remain, doing harm over a longer period.

If all cars became electric tomorrow, the effects might actually be more damaging, not less.

Dr Michael Blackmore
Midhurst, West Sussex