Sadiq Khan has been accused of manipulating a public consultation on expanding London’s Ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) after it emerged that more than 5,000 votes were excluded.
Emails reveal the Mayor’s officials removed thousands of votes submitted to a consultation on whether to expand Ulez across the whole of London. The crackdown on motorists is costing drivers in the capital an additional £385,000 a day in charges, according to RAC.
Conservative leaders said the newly released documents exposed a “campaign by the Mayor’s office to manipulate the results” of the Ulez consultation.
More than 5,200 votes from motoring groups, equivalent to one in 10 responses, were discounted by officials, reducing opposition and allowing Mr Khan to claim there was no “overwhelming” dissent. Mr Khan said when the consultation was launched that expansion would not go ahead if there was overwhelming opposition.
Motoring groups are now demanding a public inquiry into Mr Khan’s handling of the consultation, which he has previously insisted was not predetermined.
Howard Cox, head of FairFuelUK said that excluding his group’s votes “is not only contemptible, but also possibly unlawful”.
The Telegraph can reveal the London mayor is also facing a formal complaint over allegations by opposition leaders that he made “false and dishonest” statements to the London Assembly about Ulez expansion.
The accusations come as Mr Khan faces a revolt by London councils to block the installation of traffic cameras to police Ulez expansion within sight of the M25.
A spokesman for Mr Khan said claims that Transport for London or the mayor sought to influence the results are “simply untrue”.
The decision to expand Mr Khan’s £12.50-a-day low-emission zone across all of Greater London has been controversial ever since he announced the plans last May.
In November the London mayor gave his Ulez plans the green light despite 59.4pc of respondents to the consultation opposing it.
Read More: Sadiq Khan accused of manipulating Ulez poll after excluding thousands of votes