Mayor Jason Perry has joined local councillors Lara Fish, Tony Pearson, Adele Benson and candidate Livinus Bondzie to launch a formal petition demanding that New Addington be removed from Sadiq Khan’s Ultra Low Emission Zone.
Croydon Conservatives say New Addington has been unfairly swept into a policy designed around inner London travel patterns, despite being one of the most car-reliant communities in the borough.
New Addington has some of the most limited public transport links in Croydon. There is no train station. Bus routes are limited. Many journeys require multiple changes. For thousands of residents, a car is not a choice. It is a necessity.
Recent data shows that 64.6% of households in New Addington own at least one vehicle, with 24.1% owning two or more. Campaigners argue this makes the area uniquely exposed to the financial impact of ULEZ.
They also point out that most journeys made by residents are local, often simply driving within New Addington itself for shopping, school runs or visiting family. Campaigners ask: should residents really be penalised for driving around their own community?
Mayor Jason Perry said:
“New Addington is outer London, not inner London. Residents here rely on their cars because they have little alternative. ULEZ in its current form is punitive for communities like ours. That is why we are calling for New Addington to be carved out of the zone.”
Councillor Tony Pearson added:
“This is about fairness. Elderly residents, parents doing school runs, shift workers and small business owners are being hit hardest. We want Sadi Khan to recognise that New Addington’s transport reality is different.”
The petition calls on Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, to:
- Exempt New Addington from the ULEZ boundary
- Recognise the area’s limited transport alternatives
- Put fairness for outer-London communities first
Croydon Conservatives will be taking the petition directly to residents through street stalls, door-knocking and online campaigning over the coming weeks.
Campaigners say the message is simple: New Addington should not be penalised for relying on cars when it has little alternative.
