The latest data on the ULEZ scrappage scheme shows that only 40 per cent of applications have been accepted so far.
The Liberal Democrats have pointed out this is yet more evidence that the Mayor should have accepted their Budget amendment last year that would have opened the scheme to everyone from day one, without means testing – and furthermore, that the current scheme should be open to retrospective applications.
The amendment would have secured £220 million for the scrappage scheme – a figure which, in fact, the Mayor is now approaching, despite originally only budgeting £110 million for the scheme.
As the Lib Dems point out, many Londoners who replaced their vehicles between January and August 2023 had to do so without financial help, effectively punishing them for meeting the deadline, while those who waited until the last moment were rewarded.
Commenting, Caroline Pidgeon said:
"The latest ULEZ scrappage data, alongside questioning of the Mayor in last week's budget session, shows that the scrappage scheme is not meeting expectations.
"Given that the amount spent on the scheme is now rapidly approaching what the Liberal Democrats proposed last February, it is abundantly clear the Mayor should have listened to our proposals at the time.
"As a result of him ignoring our advice, many Londoners were forced to scrape together the funds to replace their vehicles between January and August last year, in a cost-of-living crisis, with no financial help from the Mayor.
"It is deeply unfair that people who did the right thing have been punished while those who waited until the very last minute are entitled to financial help. The Liberal Democrats will continue to call on Sadiq Khan to open on the funding to retrospective applications from those who replaced their vehicles between January and the widening of the scheme in August."