Harlow's MP has written to the council’s labour leader asking him to “urgently lobby” the London Mayor over a potential new charge for vehicles driving into the city.

The charge, one of many draft proposals from Transport for London (TfL) designed to address the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, would potentially see vehicles registered outside of London charged an extra £5.50 to enter the capital.

The proposal, dubbed “checkpoint Chigwell” by Paul Scully, the Minister for London, was outlined in a TfL report published in January.

Conservative mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey took to twitter to pledge to ‘scrap the tax’ – which has not been adopted and is still under consultation – on day one, if elected.

He accused Sadiq Khan of “raising the cost of living for families”.

Robert Halfon MP, and the leader of the Harlow Conservatives, Cllr Andrew Johnson have written to the Leader of Harlow Council, Cllr Mark Ingall, asking him to "urgently lobby" the Mayor of London to stop him introducing the fee.

If the plans are adopted, drivers in vehicles registered outside of London would be charged up £5.50 per day (£3.50 in ULEZ compliant vehicles) when driving into London between 6am – 7pm.

The charge would be on top of existing congestion and ultra-low emission zone charges.

The Conservatives have called on Cllr Ingall to "immediately write to your Labour colleague to express your opposition to a measure that would ruin so many small businesses and self-employed workers" and to "support a cross-party motion at the next Council meeting to condemn the Mayor’s plans and express your support for Harlow residents".

The letter written to Cllr Ingall.

The letter written to Cllr Ingall.

The Harlow MP says it is estimated that the new charge would add over £1,000 per year to a Harlow commuters travel bill.

The letter from the Harlow Conservatives follows a letter from Robert Halfon MP and 23 other Conservative MPs to the Mayor earlier this week.

In the TfL’s financial sustainability report, commissioner Andy Byford said: “The global coronavirus pandemic has brutally exposed the vulnerability of TfL’s current funding model, specifically, its unusually high dependence on revenue generated through the fare box, notwithstanding the huge progress in recent years in driving down cost through careful financial stewardship and progressive organisational change.

“But with adversity comes huge opportunity. An affordable, sustainable and more diverse long term TfL funding model will benefit both London and the whole country in the national quest to build back better, post-pandemic. We are seeking a funding model closer to that already in place for Network Rail or Highways England, and to be recognised as delivering nationally significant infrastructure improvements."

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