Veteran goes on HUNGER STRIKE over Sadiq Khan's ULEZ scheme - 'It's discrimination!'

British Army veteran pradeep Singh has gone on hunger strike over the mayor of London's Euless expansion scheme he stopped eating for seven days to protest about the mayor's clean air tax scheme which is set to expand right across the city well our reporter Paul Hawkins joins us live now from Uxbridge good morning to you Paul I mean we know that the ultra low emissions home has been a controversial policy but this is a protest that's gone one step further hasn't it yeah it has uh and we'll talk to the protection um just a moment just a quick reminder though Euless ultra low emission Zone it's the area in central London for high polluting uh where our high polluting vehicles are charged 12.50 a day to Winter and the mayor from the August the 29th despite a court challenge a high court challenge will extend it it is controversial as you say some saying that it costs uh labor a by-election victory here in Uxbridge productsing is the man who's on a hunger strike at the moment it's day two let's find out how it's going uh probably thanks for speaking to us really appreciate it thanks for speaking to to GB news no don't move for us um it's day two first of all how was last night was your first night right uh last night it wasn't my first night yeah but I started on a Sunday around eight o'clock okay so so you can include Sunday as well Sunday and then the Monday was second night it's gonna be uh third day today and the third night yeah why are you doing this well it is a I'm battling against uh uh you know the cost of living crisis I I started my fight last year uh you know with the rising cost of living and as we are already struggling you know and there is another burden on the people with the Jew ledge so uh it has a very big effect on the uh you know the people's life not only economically emotionally as well uh and uh also if you uh it's a discrimination to those who cannot afford to buy the or the upgrade the new vehicle even if you want to upgrade according to the auto trader static is you you're a unique compliant vehicle will cost you around 18 000 plus so people on low wages they can't upgrade either yeah so it is it is a discrimination and this is what I'm battling this is what I'm fighting against and you're a taxi driver right and so and and so that it would have a direct impact on your business you're saying yes I cannot uh Drive the you know the registered vehicle I have at the moment just because of uh the U laser because I can't enter into this area it is a before September at 2015. so it's not only me it's uh it's it's you know it's a lot of people are in into the whether I live in Reading yeah I don't live in this area but I come which means you wouldn't be eligible for the extended scrappage scheme because you live outside London yeah I live outside London I'm not eligible for that scheme either even those who are living here not all of them are eligible for that scheme so it has a direct impact on me and as I said we a man is a social animals we are living in a society okay it's not about yourself only okay the society's problem is your problem we'll leave we'll leave his capacity but I'm never going to check in on you later this morning okay thanks for speaking to us on the GPS breakfast thank you very much I mentioned the scrappage scheme there the extent we'll just step outside the tent I mentioned the extended scrappage scheme there by the way uh the mayor says that all vehicles will be eligible for a two that are non-new less compliant two thousand pounds uh replacement and for motorbikes it's a thousand pounds and in a statement he said he's always been good at expanding uh Euless to the whole of London was a difficult decision and not one he took likely but it's a decision he remains committed to seeing through uh he's not prepared to step back delay or water down uh these this policy which will not only save lives and protect children's lungs by cleaning up our polluted air but help us to fight the climate crisis

Channel: GBNews

Views: 20,960

Keywords: GB news, uk news, uk, hunger strike, strike, ulez, sadiq khan, mayor, mayor of london

Id: fknKbc80SIY

Length: 4min 14sec (254 seconds)

Published: Tue Aug 08 2023