According to the British newspaper The Telegraph, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has blocked a plan to send cars to Ukraine that would otherwise be utilized under the Ulez program. In a letter obtained by The Telegraph, the London mayor said he would not allow the cars to be sent to the war zone.
In September, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote to Sadiq Khan in a letter emphasizing the British recycling scheme and offering to donate some of the vehicles to Ukraine.
Klitschko said the move would have "huge potential" and that the cars would be used in "various rescue and transportation functions."
But this week, Khan sent a reply to the Kyiv mayor, saying that he could not take such a step because the Ulez recycling program should benefit Londoners from an "economic, social and environmental point of view."
Under the London Ulez program, motorists can claim a one-time payment of £2,000 if they scrap a car that does not meet the requirements of the pollution tax.
Several British politicians interviewed by The Telegraph criticized Khan's position.
For example, Conservative London mayoral candidate Susan Hall told the newspaper that "Londoners who decide to scrap their cars should have the right to decide for themselves whether to send their cars to support Ukraine."
Sir John Redwood, a former Tory government minister, agrees, calling Ulez "a hugely unfortunate scheme, not just for London but for the world." In his opinion, we should not "stop people from donating cars to good causes."
Background. Meanwhile, it was reported that the UK will provide Ukraine with two warships for demining.