Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ expansion ‘will add just 13 mins to average life expectancy’ despite aiming to improve air quality

SADIQ Khan’s hated ULEZ expansion will add just 13 minutes to the average life expectancy, it emerged today.

Research by the Mayor’s own team in collaboration with Transport for London has found the scheme’s impact will be “minor” and “negligible”.

Alamy

The ULEZ expansion will add just 13 minutes to the life expectancy of average Londoners in 2023, according to new research[/caption]

It’s predicted to only cause a 1.3% reduction in the average Londoner’s exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

And it would add just 13 minutes to the life expectancy of a Londoner in 2023, according to the Channel Four News Fact Check service.

A defiant Mr Khan insists the policy is critical to improving air quality.

Mr Khan is facing a furious backlash after extending the £12.50 daily levy to every inch of the capital for those driving older, more polluting vehicles.

His scheme has triggered a crime wave, as masked crusaders — dubbed Blade Runners — have taken to stealing or defacing the spy cameras which are central to the charging scheme.

At least 450 of the network’s 1,762 cameras — around one in four — have so far been disabled, while the Met Police has recorded 500 Ulez camera crimes in the past five months.

Senior Tories have urged PM Rishi Sunak to “seize the moment” and lead the fight against Ulez and other crippling net zero environmental charges.

Voters oppose the anti-car measure coming to their area by almost two to one, while one in three say they would be less likely to back politicians who brought in the charge.

A survey by pollsters Redfield & Wilton Strategies revealed only 26 per cent of people living outside London would support or strongly support a Ulez-style scheme in their town or city.

Some 47 per cent would oppose or strongly oppose it.

Just 28 per cent backed the recent roll-out to the outer London boroughs, while 43 per cent were against it.

General support for Ulez in central London was evenly split.

The Tories have already used Ulez to their favour, winning the by-election in ex-PM Boris Johnson’s old Uxbridge seat by making the issue central to their campaign.

And The Sun’s Give Us A Brake campaign is calling on No10 to rethink anti-car schemes — including any extension of Ulez and the 2030 diesel and petrol new car ban.