Tory in running to take on Sadiq Khan makes bold ‘day one’ pledge on hated ULEZ expansion

A Tory London mayoral hopeful has vowed to torpedo Sadiq Khan‘s ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) expansion on day one if she takes office.

Susan Hall has entered the race to be the Conservative candidate to take on the Labour incumbent, who is seeking a record third term, in next year’s election.

The former City Hall Conservatives leader promised to reverse the “outrageous” ULEZ expansion on her first day in power.

The zone is set to be expanded to cover outer London from August 29, meaning more drivers will be forced to pay the £12.50 daily charge for the most polluting vehicles in a bid to improve air quality.

Ms Hall told the Express: “The ULEZ extension would be stopped from day one. No ifs, no buts, no referendum. 

“If I manage to get to be the Conservative candidate that will be my manifesto.”

Ms Hall also pledged to tack a tough stance on crime to ensure Londoners, and particularly women, feel safe in the capital.

She said: “I’m passionate about policing, I always have been, to feel safe is the most important thing.

“We’re looking around now at thefts and burglaries, a phone is stolen I believe once every six minutes in London, burglaries are hardly ever solved.

“My main thrust will definitely be on crime and how we can assist the Metropolitan Police to reform and how we can make some changes to make everybody safer. If you’re a woman in London you feel less and less safe.”

And the Tory mayoral candidate hopeful said she would build “the sort of homes people want and lots more of them”.

She said: “When you knock on doors you find out what’s worrying people are certainly crime is and around outer London Ulez is.

“But if you talk to younger people they can’t get on the housing ladder.

“We need to build more but we also need to build more family homes and homes people want because all we keep seeing is these high rises and that’s not really where people want to live.”

Ms Hall accused Mr Khan of “not having his priorities right” and failing to deliver on three key areas. 

She said: “He should be getting down to the basics of getting the three things he’s really responsible for right and that is policing, transport and housing. That’s his main remit.”

Ms Hall added that she would tackle the job as London Mayor with “common sense”.

She said: “I think I’m strong enough to fight him, I’m certainly prepared to fight him and that’s why I will hopefully be the Conservative candidate.”

Ms Hall is among a number of names who have thrown their hat into the ring after Conservative Campaign Headquarters announced applications to be its London mayoral candidate were open.

The party will name its chosen candidate on July 19 giving them 10 months to campaign ahead of the election in May 2024.

London Assembly member Nick Rogers and ex-Boris Johnson adviser Samuel Kasumu have so far put their names forward to run on a Conservative ticket.