Leaked private emails have come to light, raising concerns about alleged efforts from Sadiq Khan‘s office to counter criticisms from scientists regarding the effectiveness of the ultra low emissions zone (ULEZ) policy.
These allegations have been reported by The Telegraph.
Within these leaked emails, Shirley Rodrigues, London Mayor’s Deputy for Environment and Energy, reportedly expressed disappointment over Imperial College’s publication of findings that cast doubts on the ULEZ’s impact.
According to the reports, Professor Frank Kelly, who heads Imperial’s Environmental Research Group and has received substantial funding from Mr Khan’s office, apparently agreed to release a statement, jointly crafted with Ms Rodrigues, asserting that the ULEZ had significantly curbed air pollution.
Critics from the London Conservatives have characterised the revealed communication as exposing an uncomfortably close and cosy bond between the Mayor’s office and the scientists benefiting from its funding.
They also note that the correspondence indicates a clear desire to “silence scientists who question the effectiveness of Khan’s policies”.
A spokesperson for the Mayor told Energy Live News: “It is right – and standard practice across government – that we commission experts to carry out research to inform the work we do.
“Frank Kelly and the Environmental Research Group at Imperial are some of the world-leading academic institutions looking at air quality. It is normal and proper to work with these experts to ensure our policies are as effective as possible at dealing with issues such as the high number of deaths – up to 4,000 a year – linked to toxic air in London every year.
“The ULEZ analysis from the engineering department at Imperial only paints a partial picture, not accounting for the full lifetime impact of the scheme, and only focusing on its immediate impact around its launch.
“It is commonplace for academic experts to disagree with how other academic studies are interpreted, as was the case here.”
