54 per cent of Londoners oppose Sadiq Khan’s boundary charge proposal

City Hall Tories have demanded Sadiq Khan drop his “ludicrous” boundary charge proposal today after a new opinion poll revealed 54 per cent of Londoners oppose the idea.

The exclusive YouGov opinion poll was commissioned by the GLA Conservatives’ Leader after the Mayor proposed a daily £3.50 boundary charge for non-Londoners driving into Greater London. It showed that a clear majority of Londoners oppose the idea, with 54 per cent opposing the idea while only 32 per cent supported it.

More Londoners think a boundary charge would hurt London’s economy (44 per cent) than help (21 per cent). 56 per cent of Londoners have family or friends who drive to visit them from outside Greater London. Of these Londoners, 53 per cent think the boundary charge would impact their visiting family or friends.

In response to the poll, London-wide Assembly Member Susan Hall warned the Mayor that his boundary charge proposal would be a “terrible act of self-harm” which would hammer the capital’s economy and public services. Ms Hall demanded the Mayor drop his “ludicrous” boundary charge idea.

Susan Hall AM, Leader of the GLA Conservatives, commented: “This must be a wake-up call for Sadiq Khan. Londoners do not support his ludicrous boundary charge proposal. They see it for the disaster it would be. He must unequivocally rule it out.

“A boundary charge would be a terrible act of self-harm. Penalising people for driving into Greater London to work, shop, and visit loved ones would hammer struggling families, businesses and communities.

“It would slap commuters with a £1,000-a-year bill on average to drive into Greater London. That’s an extortionate bill to force on NHS staff, teachers, police officers and workers who live outside the capital but serve our city.

“Instead of dreaming up new driving taxes, Sadiq Khan must work constructively with the Government to fix Transport for London’s finances. He can start by taking on his trade union allies and reforming TfL’s gold-plated pensions, bloated bonuses and extortionate perks.”