Since 2010 the Conservatives have backed drivers by freezing fuel duty and spending billions improving roads, but Labour politicians’ imposition of 20mph speed limits and ULEZ expansion highlight the threats motorists face.
That is why the Conservatives will introduce a Backing Drivers Bill, enshrining in law that a Conservative government will not introduce pay per mile road taxes and will ban mayors and local councils from doing so, reversing Labour’s punitive ULEZ expansion and ensuring low traffic neighbourhoods and 20mph zones have local support.
Through a ‘Backing Drivers Bill’ to be introduced in the first parliamentary session, the Conservatives will build on last autumn’s Plan for Drivers with a package of bold action which will protect drivers from the draconian policies of the Labour party.
Dean said about the manifesto commitment: “Ever since I organised colleagues in 2021 to write to the Mayor of London about his original border tax plans which were later scrapped, I have been very vocal in my opposition of Labour’s unfair ULEZ expansion. It is not right to charge thousands of people living around London, including Watford and Bushey residents, for simply driving into London - with many only doing so for work. This aggressive and regressive policy is effectively a tax on drivers, enforced by a growing rise of surveillance cameras, with the primary victim being those who cannot afford a new vehicle.
More recently I joined my Conservative colleague Gareth Johnson to support his backbench Bill which would have empowered ministers to reverse the unfair ULEZ expansion. The Bill was blocked by Labour when they filibustered it stopping the bill from progressing. If the Conservatives win the General Election on 4th July, the Backing Drivers Bill will see the reversal of the ULEZ expansion and will have my full support.”
