Labour's New Highway Robbery by Tyrant Sadiq Khan in London - And How It Was Stopped in Southampton

Labour's Highway Robbery in London

 

Desspite resistance from London residents, Labour's tyrannical Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has carried on regardless, and imposed an expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) across the whole of Greater London. 

This is despite Labour losing the Uxbridge by-election to the Tories after the resignation of the disgraced former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was MP for the Uxbridge constituency. 

The Conservatives have claimed that the ULEZ policy is the main reason for them narrowly winning, in the context of losses in other by-elections and disastrous opinion polling with the Conservatives trailing Labour by over twenty percentage points in some polls. The Leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir Starmer has distanced himself from the ULEZ policy and called for a debate over the policy.

Commenting, former Southampton Independents councillor Andrew Pope has written to the Daily Echo with the following letter:

Former Councillor Andrew Pope on BBC South
on the defeated Elected Mayor plans

"Campaigning works. I feel sorry for the people of London who have had this measure imposed on them without a Referendum. The people should decide, not a tyrant Mayor of London. That's why I campaigned for a Referendum on similar measures proposed by Labour-controlled Southampton City Council.

The same fate could have befallen Southampton if the Labour-run Southampton City Council had not u-turned on their plans in 2018 after I called for a Referendum, as reported by the Daily Echo. 

I also asked questions in private and public of Council officers and again in public to the former Leader of the Council, Christopher Hammond, who resigned following Labour's defeat in the 2021 City Council elections. Hammond refused to rule out charging.

Over the last few years, including over recent weeks with the expansion of the ULEZ, residents and visitors have thanked me for campaigning against the Labour plans for Southampton. This includes new residents of Southampton who told me that they would not have moved here and contributed their work and businesses if Southampton had vehicle charging.

 

I'm also delighted to have led the campaign in Southampton to stop our City from having an Elected Mayor like Sadiq Khan. Again, as reported by the Daily Echo, I was the only Southampton councillor opposed to it with the Labour and Tory councillors voting for it like the party puppets that they were - and still are - placing their parties over the people once again.

 

I have noted Tory Hampshire County Council Leader Rob Humby calling for support for new devolution and a new split with other councils in the Region. Do these party politicians want an elected mayor? It is unclear, but they need to be honest and tell the people if they are proposing it.

 

Residents do not want another party puppet with too much power and that's what elected mayors are.

 

Sadiq Khan in London, Marvin Rees in Bristol and Joe Anderson in Liverpool are three key examples of why elected mayors are bad for residents. There are many other examples.

 

Labour and the Conservatives support elected mayors and the concentration of power to one individual. They support elected mayors because they want it for the benefit of the parties and not for the people of Southampton, London, Liverpool or Bristol.

Labour or Tory, same old story.

Residents do not support having an elected mayor - that's why Bristol residents voted in a Referendum to scrap Marvin Rees and the role of Mayor and why Liverpool has also rejected having an elected mayor. Councillors in Liverpool made that decision - a Referendum would also have led to the scrapping of an Elected Mayor.

Councillors made that decision to try to quell widespread corruption in Liverpool Labour and Liverpool City Council. Having an elected mayor failed. The damage had been done.

I'm pleased to see the rise of independent councillors in Liverpool and moves by residents  for the same in Bristol. In Croydon, bizarrely after Labour brought the Council to bankruptcy, they now have an Elected Mayor, who is a Tory and is now seeking to impose massive council tax increases on residents, when it was Labour councillors - and a Tory Government's Draconian cuts - that caused the bankruptcy. The residents were not to blame, but they are the ones suffering.

Like Liverpool has had, Croydon has had and Bristol has had, Southampton residents have had a Labour-led Council for too long that has brought the City of Southampton to its knees and to the brink of bankruptcy - something which the current Leader Satvir Kaur denies.

Having an elected mayor in Southampton, Portsmouth and across our Region - with even more concentrated powers - would make things even worse."

 

CAMPAIGN VICTORY: OUR CAMPAIGNING FORCES LABOUR TO SAY NO TO CHARGING PRIVATE CARS

Is this another part of
Labour's Highway Robbery?

UPDATE (29th August 2023): A new article is now published with updates on the London measures imposed by Labour Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. We continue our campaign for a Park and Ride for Southampton, after our success of campaigning for and achieving one for the staff at University Hospital Southampton.

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Victory (9th October 2018): As reported in the Daily Echo, the Labour Council has been forced to climb down from their plans to charge vehicles. and the so-called "Green" Clean Air Southampton campaigners, have failed in their bid to make Southampton residents pay.

Update: At Full Council on Wednesday 19th September, as reported by the Daily Echo, our Councillor Andrew Pope repeatedly asked the Leader of the Labour-run Council, Councillor Chris Hammond, to rule out charging private cars.

Councillor Hammond repeatedly refused to rule it out.

Southampton Independents to Campaign for a Referendum on Charging

Councillor Pope announced that Southampton Independents will be campaigning for a referendum. He says:

"Southampton Independents supports residents in their opposition to charging.

No Southampton resident should be charged as part of a Clean Air Zone, congestion charge or any other similar charge.

We totally oppose charging Southampton residents.

So if the Labour-run Council want to introduce any charging, they must allow Southampton residents to vote on it first.

Other Independent councillors seemed to support my suggestion.

I have asked the Leader of the Conservative Group whether he supports a referendum. He would not commit to it without speaking to other Conservative councillors first, which I suppose is fair enough. I will await his response when he has spoken with them.

And to add insult to injury, when I asked her, Labour's Cabinet Member for Road Chaos, Councillor Jacqui Rayment, refused to stop charging people for crossing the Itchen Bridge Toll. This is despite the fact that the Labour Council is doing this for electric vehicles.

If they can end the toll for electric vehicles, they can end the toll for ALL VEHICLES. But they don't want to, because they want to keep taking your money.

And charging vehicles as part of any Clean Air Zone or other scheme will be another way for Labour to rob you on the highways.

It is Labour's Highway Robbery."

If you are opposed to any charging, let us know by getting in touch by email at sotonindies [at] gmail.com.

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Would you support charging private cars to enter our City? In this Daily Echo article, Clean Air Southampton and Friends of the Earth are suggesting it.

Sadly the Labour Council Leader Chris Hammond does not rule it out in the article.

Councillor Andrew Pope says:

"In all of the conversations we have had on residents' doorsteps about pollution in Southampton, nobody has suggested that private cars should be charged.

Just who does "Clean Air Southampton" represent?

Southampton Independents is totally opposed to charging private cars in any Clean Air Zone.

Instead, residents want it, so we are campaigning for Park and Rides to be implemented. Labour and Tory councillors have done little to progress these in many years. We applaud the new hospital's Park and Ride at Nursling and have supported the planning application.

Southampton City Council should be taking action to get Park and Ride across the City, not charging private cars.

I am asking the Leader of the Council to rule out charging private cars, in a Formal Written Question at the September Full Council meeting."

Park and Ride or Clean Air Zone: SHOULDN'T YOU DECIDE?

Councillor Andrew Pope

The Daily Echo is reporting criticism of Southampton City Council's proposed "Clean Air Zone". 

Our Councillor Andrew Pope says:

"Southampton Independents is listening to your views.

Do you want a Clean Air Zone? The Labour Council and Tory Government think they can impose it on you and local businesses.

Do you want a Park and Ride? Residents tell us regularly that they do. And we are campaigning for it. The hospital have listened. But the Council hasn't listened or acted for you.

And the Council hasn't delivered a park and ride for you, despite lots of talk.

Businesses and the Tory MP for the East of the City (Royston Smith) think that the Labour Council's Clean Air Zone is a bad idea. Do you agree?

Yet according to the Labour-run Council, it is the Tory Government that is imposing the Clean Air Zone on Southampton. They've claimed they wouldn't be doing it otherwise.

Once again, it is a case of Labour or Tory, same old story, with adults and children continuing to suffer from air pollution and its affects on our health."

Leader of Southampton Independents

Our Leader Denise Wyatt Southampton Independents says:

"Once the Labour Council have pretended to listen to you and then approved this anyway, Labour councillors can easily change it to make you pay to use your car in our City, by simply asking the Government whether they can do it.

Southampton Independents has confirmed this with Council officers, and that they wouldn't need to ask you, the public. Do you think this is right? We don't.

We already pay enough for the reducing services and poor communication by the Council. People get bad services and can't contact the Council easily.

Where is our Park and Ride? Areas of the City such as Redbridge already have a higher-than-average level of asthma. This can't carry on. 

Tell us what you think."

Fox Hunting, the Environment and Protecting Wildlife

Southampton Independents campaigning with residents
on traffic chaos and air pollution

Our Parliamentary Candidate for Southampton Test, Andrew Pope, says:

"As I am standing in Southampton for Southampton Independents, I don't get many questions about fox hunting as the hunt doesn't happen here.

But it does happen nearby.

I oppose repealing the current fox-hunting ban. 

In fact, I would campaign to make the ban stronger, if anything, as it is alleged that the legislation is being worked around.

I love the countryside and wildlife. I have been a member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds for over 15 years, and have volunteered for them. I am also a member of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

I have campaigned to protect Southampton's parks and open spaces from the Labour Council that wanted to build on them. I love Southampton Common. It is a vital green lung for our City and must be protected from development.

I have campaigned to improve Southampton's environment. The above photo is evidence of that, when Denise Wyatt and other supporters of Southampton Independents worked with residents to campaign for a stop to the traffic chaos in Southampton.

Southampton City Council, under successive Tory and Labour administrations, has failed to deal with the pollution of air in our City. Approving more and more warehouses and HGVs, is not what the Council should be doing. Instead of improving air quality, the Labour Council has written more strategy documents and generated more hot air. Meanwhile, the Tory Government has tried to hide its air quality strategy, using "purdah" election rules as an excuse.

And the Labour Council is allowing developers to get away with destroying wildlife habitat, including during periods when birds are nesting (e.g. at the new Lidl warehouse and at the unpopular Test Lane warehouse development). This is totally wrong.

Please vote for me on 8th June to be a powerful voice at Westminster for the environment and wildlife."

Our April Fool's Joke: New Brexit Threat to Southampton Plants, Animals and Humans

Redbridge Wharf Park - under threat?

Southampton Independents are warning of a new threat to Southampton plants and animals, especially those on the Western edge of the City in Redbridge and Millbrook.

The new threat can even be dangerous to humans, especially after Brexit.

The growing trend to plant eucalyptus trees in the New Forest, and the South’s mild climate, is encouraging a dangerous animal to breed and settle – and cause danger to Southampton.

This trend has partly come from the links between Lyndhurst in the New Forest and Sir Arthur Phillip, the first Governor of Australia. Arthur Phillip lived in Lyndhurst, near the former Lyndhurst Park Hotel that was recently saved from demolition.

New Forest District Council planted a eucalyptus tree in its Appletree Court offices, in honour of the area’s connection with Arthur Phillip. Since then, more and more eucalyptus trees have been planted across the New Forest and in Southampton. They are hardy and beautiful trees.

Independent Councillor for Redbridge ward, Andrew Pope, warned:

“It is feared that a new breed of marsupial has been breeding in the New Forest’s eucalyptus trees. It is like the cuddly koala bear, but Australians call it the ‘drop bear’, because it drops out of trees when it becomes agitated. They have been known to smuggle in the car boot of New Forest commuters coming into Southampton and polluting our air.”

Denise Wyatt, Independent campaigner for Redbridge, says:

“We’ve heard about ‘drop bears’ before because we have friends in Australia. Friends told us that like koalas, they eat only eucalyptus leaves, and have to develop the ability to do this from their mothers. If they don’t do this, as the leaves are toxic, they become agitated and highly dangerous. They are even known to attack humans sleeping in their tents, especially tourists from the EU after Brexit.*”

* Happy 1^st April. See you on the campaign trail and thanks for all your support.

Air Pollution: Your views on Southampton Labour Council's Ideas

What do you think of Southampton's Labour-run Council ideas to tackle air pollution below?

It comes after they have been "in control" of Southampton City Council for almost five years, since May 2012.

They have dithered and wrote documents. Then wrote more documents.

They have approved even more warehouses, especially in the Redbridge area.

It seems to have been all talk and no do.

So the following is taken from the public Council document "Frequently Asked Questions" about the "Clean Air Zone" idea they have had, which they claim will be done to improve air pollution in Southampton.

It is quoted verbatim.

We Independents aren't sure it will happen.

And we aren't sure that even it does happen, that it will have much of an effect.

But don't just take our word for it.

Neither does the University of Southampton, according to their research Matt Loxham, when he appeared on the BBC recently.

What do you think?

Post below or Contact Us using the details on the left.

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Here it is:

"

• Why are we introducing a Clean Air Zone?

Like many cities Southampton experiences poor air quality, much of this is caused by road transport.  DEFRA published the UK Air Quality Plan in December 2015. The document identifies Southampton as one of five cities which will be required to implement penalty charges for the most polluting HGV’s, buses and taxis when the mandatory zone comes in to force in 2019.

• What does it mean?

We are advised that the anticipated standards expected for the clean air zones will be as follows:

Vehicle type	NOx emissions limit
HGV	Euro VI
Buses/Coaches	Euro VI
Taxis	Euro 6 (diesel) Euro 4 (petrol)

Map of proposed Southampton Clean Air Zone

All major arterial roads in Southampton will be included

• How can I avoid the charge?

If your HGV, bus, taxi meets the emission standard there will be no charge.

Private Cars are exempt from the charge.

The level of charges for noncompliant vehicles will be determined by the Government at a later stage.

Southampton Labour Causing Congestion and Pollution

Council aren't Fixing our Roads or the Congestion

The people of Southampton and the visitors to Southampton have had enough!

This week, the Daily Echo has reported figures that confirm what we already know.

Southampton's roads are a disgrace.

Southampton's roads are too congested.

Southampton's air quality is very poor.

And the situation hasn't improved for years.

Southampton Independent Councillor Andrew Pope is quoted in the Echo article:

"Andrew Pope said the figures were no surprise to him, adding: 

"This congestion is causing poorer air quality and pollution for the people living in Southampton.

"The Labour council has talked a lot and written a lot about improving air quality, but the situation has not improved.

“To fix this, we have to improve public transport and improve the flow-through by removing the pinch points.”*

Southampton Independent campaigner Denise Wyatt says:

"The Council has failed to fix Southampton's disgraceful roads.

The Council has failed to address the serious congestion affecting Southampton.

The Council has failed to address the serious pollution affecting Southampton.

Instead of reducing air pollution and congestion, the Labour-run Council is ADDING to it by approving more and more warehouses like Lidl, UPS, Selco and now at Test Lane. 

Residents don't want it.

Motorists don't want it.

Labour has the wrong priorities and is letting Southampton down."


*A longer recorded interview with Councillor Pope is here.

Updated: Southampton's Roads Are A Disgrace!

Junction of Parkside Avenue and Brookwood Road during works
by Balfour Beatty and Southampton City Council

So many residents have told us that Southampton's roads are a disgrace.

Here is an example from Brookwood Road in Redbridge, where we expose how poorly the Council's partnership with Balfour Beatty is performing.

Residents of Brookwood Road have waited patiently for decades for their road to be sorted. We campaigned for it to happen - but the Labour-controlled Council have botched it.

This "partnership" between the Council and Balfour Beatty needs to be cancelled, because it is failing our City. Do you agree?

Tell us what you think of the roads and pavements in your area, and send us your photos.

We Independents will carry on campaigning for better roads in Southampton.

Independent Councillor for Redbridge, Andrew Pope, says:

"We have no doubt that the experience of residents of Brookwood Road and Parkside Avenue has been repeated across the City. 

Potholes are reported by residents, but Balfour Beatty tell them that they are not potholes and do not fix them! 

And THEN Balfour Beatty try to tell councillors that they are fixing "99%" of potholes, and that the partnership with the Council is working! 

This is not how residents see it. 

This is not how businesses see it. 

This is not how visitors to the City see it."

Do YOU want to see the Balfour Beatty contract cancelled?

Tell us - our contact details are here.

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Updated (24th January 2016): It's now months later, and the works were apparently "completed". But residents know that the job was botched by the Council and Balfour Beatty. We have pushed for remedial works to be done.

Now we have been told that the works were due to start yesterday, 23rd January. Apprently a letter has been hand-delivered by the Council.

We have checked, and they did NOT start on time.

What a mess.

The Labour-controlled Council cannot even get that right.

Councillor Andrew Pope said:

"After agreeing with my requests to resurface Brookwood Road, the Labour-controlled Council refused to resurface Parkside Avenue. 

This was a stupid decision and since then – what a mess it’s been! 

The Labour-controlled Council and its “partner” Balfour Beatty made a real hash of the works, both to the road and to the pavements. 

And they did not bother to fix the many potholes at the junction of Brookwood and Parkside – despite our requests on your behalf. 

They need to listen to residents."

Independent campaigner Denise Wyatt said:

"Many residents contacted us, in person and by phone about how poorly the works were done, and the months over which residents were inconvenienced. 

We visited residents and discussed their concerns. 

We have pressured the Council and Balfour Beatty to fix their botched job. 

We pressured Council officers to review the works and take action. 

Our pressure has meant action. 

We expect the botched job to be rectified."

Tell us what you think of the roads and pavements in your area, and send us your photos. Our contact details are here.

We Independents will carry on campaigning for better roads in Southampton.

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Independent Councillor Andrew Pope has been trying to get Brookwood Road and Parkside Avenue resurfaced for years.

Despite Andrew asking for it year after year, Labour-run Southampton City Council had not prioritised it until 2016.

That may seem good news.

But having waited for many years, many residents are extremely unhappy with the works that have been done so far, and the lack of planning of the works that remain unfinished. 

Residents have complained to the Council, and complained to Andrew and his colleague Independent campaigner Denise Wyatt.

Andrew says:

"People who have lived in Brookwood Road for decades have told us that they had never seen Brookwood Road resurfaced - and now they cannot believe how the Council and Balfour Beatty could have done such a bad job.

Other residents told us that only half of the pavement was going to be resurfaced. We've got the photographic evidence.

I have challenged officers of the Council and Balfour Beatty, to be told there was not enough money for the whole pavement to be done!

And I was told that Parkside Avenue would not be resurfaced. How can this be? Have they seen the state of it? It was done only a few years ago, but it is cracking up and the junction with Brookwood is a disgrace!

What a shambles!"  

Only half the pavement on one side of Brookwood is done - the other left

The pavement on the other side is all done - WHY THE CONTRAST?

Denise says:

"The works and the planning have been completely inadequate. 

The workers have admitted to us that they are embarrassed to be asked to do half of a pavement. Worse, they told us that it is quicker for them to do all of it!

How can the Council and Balfour Beatty conspire as "partners" to produce this utter shambles?

Are they true "partners" or in actual fact "partners in crime"?

Tell us about your nightmare roads! 

Why do you think Southampton City Council and Balfour Beatty are "partners in crime" when it comes to your roads?

UPDATED: Save the Hythe to Southampton Ferry!

The wobbly Pier is matched by the wobbling Action Group

BBC South Today Late Bulletin 24th Nov 2016

"It's very important that the Hythe ferry keeps going because if it doesn't, we're going to have even more traffic and even more air pollution coming through our area."

said Councillor Andrew Pope on BBC South Today on the late bulletin of 24th November.

Andrew has sent the below letter to all cabinet members of the Southampotn City Council. The cabinet is the controlling body that makes decisions for the Council.

Hopefully we will get a useful response.

UPDATE (1st Dec 2016): NO OFFER OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT OR OTHER ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN MADE BY SOUTHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL, despite the urgent situation and my letter below. The only offer has been from the Leader Councillor Simon Letts to meet with any campaign group, an offer which I have indicated to the Leader of the Council that I may take up through my contacts and conversations I've had on the Hythe to Southampton Ferry.

The Leader of the Council has also confirmed that other than Councillor Pope, NO campaign group has contacted him about the Ferry, including those calling themselves the "Hythe Pier and Ferry Action Group". This is despite being challenged to do so by me and other Southampton residents at last week's public meeting in Hythe, at which Cllr Pope was the only Southampton councillor present. This leaves several worrying questions including:

1. Why do they ignore Southampton?

2. Are the "leaders" of that campaign group competent?

3. Do they think that the Hythe Ferry goes around in circles, and doesn't actually ever go to Southampton? It isn't the Hythe to Hythe Ferry!!!!

Those under threat of redundancy on the Ferry, and those who use the Ferry, can't afford to wait to find out.

Meanwhile, we Independent campaigners will continue our campaigning to improve air quality in Southampton and to reduce road traffic congestion.

UPDATE: (7th Dec 2016) We are waiting for more answers from various councils, developers, groups, businesses and people. We also have several meetings planned. Meanwhile, the so-called "Action Group" seems to be foundering on its actions, despite the 90-day redundancy notices still being in force.

What exactly are they doing?

It's all a bit secretive and slow, isn't it?

Tell us what you think via our Contact Us page.

Like the Councillor Andrew Pope page on Facebook or follow the @SaveHytheFerry or @CllrPope Twitter feeds for more on this campaign and all other Independent work.

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Good Morning,

The Hythe to Southampton Ferry is under threat.

I am concerned about the staff who have been issued a 90-day consultation on redundancies.

I am concerned about the users of the service, both on the Waterside and Southampton sides.

But most directly to the Redbridge ward and the people I represent, I am concerned about the decline and possible extinction of this service.

I hope that you share these concerns.

Yesterday evening, I attended a public meeting in Hythe to organise a campaign to save the Hythe Ferry. It was a packed hall. I was the only Southampton councillor present.

A member of the public from Southampton asked whether the campaign had contacted Southampton City Council. It seemed from the response that they had not.  Do you know of any contact please?

I have offered my support, in person and in writing, and I am writing to you to ask what support the Council will now offer.

I urge you to maximise the effort and funds for a sustainable service.

A few weeks ago, I also asked the Leader and current Cabinet member for Transport for the reasoning behind the cut to the Hythe Ferry subsidy in the 2013 budget, as it was never explained to councillors at the time despite them being whipped to vote for it. I had no response from Cllr Rayment. I did have a half-useful from the Leader.

The Leader was under the impression that the Hampshire subsidy is under threat. It was confirmed at the public meeting by the County Councillor for Hythe, Malcolm Wade, that it is not.

What will Southampton City Council do to ensure that the Hythe Ferry cannot just survive, but to thrive?
​
Regards,

Councillor Andrew Pope
Independent Councillor for Redbridge ward
Southampton City Council