April 2011
To the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.
Dear Sir, I welcome some of your ideas, principally getting people who ride the streets of the city off transport causing noise and fumes and on to bicycles. Even that is not practical for most of the generations to contend with, but fair play for trying.
But this Low Emission Zone precluding van vehicles having to pay either a daily fine of £100 or purchase a special abate equipment costing £2000 is ludicrous.
Maybe to quell the traffic in the boundaries of the city of London is reasonable but to extend it to anywhere inside the M 25 is absolutely crippling ordinary workmen.
I am aware of several guys who need work, and when there is some about they cannot make a job pay when having to pay this excessive fee.
They have well maintained vehicles, with MOT tests intact but are not allowed to use them. You have suggested that Mercedes have offers for reasonable prices for new vans, but these guys simply do not have the money. Work is hard to come by at present and money earned is 40% less than when money was more freely spent.
These guys are honourable working family fellows trying to keep from asking for money to keep the families and pay their mortgages. After all, if they are not working, no income tax, National Insurance and VAT is forthcoming to the government.
How long have you left before your job comes up for grabs; how would you like it if was taken away from you. Get that logical brain to work and fight for your constituents not against them.
Your faithfully,
Joanna Minor. AD. DFC and bar.