UK Minister calls on London Mayor to send cars to be scrapped to Ukraine

Michael Gove, UK Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, has called on the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan in an open letter to send cars that do not meet environmental requirements and which are due to be scrapped to Ukraine.

"As the war in Ukraine is now well into its second year, I am keen to use every lever at our disposal to offer steadfast, meaningful support to its courageous people. I was therefore extremely disappointed and surprised to learn that the Greater London Authority was not proposing to support Ukraine through the provision of vehicles that would otherwise be scrapped under the ULEZ scrappage scheme," Ukrinform reports citing the relevant letter on the UK government’s website  

Gove pointed out that the ULEZ scrappage scheme was developed on the basis of environmental improvements in air quality by removing unsuitable vehicles from the streets. "I am sure that you would agree that taking these same vehicles off London’s roads – and thus achieving the same environmental benefits – whilst supporting the efforts in Ukraine, is preferable simply to scrapping them," he added.

Gove urged the mayor to be understanding of this request and assured him that he would do everything possible to help Ukrainians with the cars from London that are to be scrapped.

Sadiq Khan previously refused a request by Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko to send cars that had been handed over by London residents as part of a programme to combat harmful emissions to Ukraine.