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George Holt is a local councillor and campaigner on neurodiversity.
If you ask your cabbie, they’ll tell you that the new Labour government seems to have stuck a big red bullseye on the back of anyone who dares drive a car. Are they steering towards driving us off the road for good? Is it a grand environmental plan, or are they just having fun watching us motorists squirm?
Labour had made big pre-election promises about fixing the nation’s pothole-ridden roads. It’s a policy that should make drivers happy, considering how many tyres and suspensions have been sacrificed to Britain’s crumbling streets. They’ve pledged tons of cash to the problem (an additional £320 million over five years). But so far, nothing seems to have been acted on.
So much for the 100 days of action that newly elected plucky Labour backbenchers have been carping about. According to an FOI of 326 councils from 2021 – 2022, Conservative councils fix more than twice as many potholes as Labour councils do. Some may say Labour’s pothole plan is all talk and no tarmac, but still, it’s early days.
One of Labour’s big environmental moves is to ban petrol and diesel cars by 2030. This sounds great on paper for tackling climate change. But in practice? It’s a different story.
The country’s electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure is about as reliable as your old phone charger—it’s hard to find, and when you find it, it might not work. Devoid of a serious upgrade and expansion for charging points, especially in places outside big cities, this only ensures a lot of irritated drivers stuck gazing at low battery lights.
The idea is well-meaning, and I implore our country to get cleaner and greener, but none of this works without a plan to expand EV infrastructure – something the government currently lacks. They’re pushing us to go electric, but with Sadiq Khan ready to slap congestion charges on EVs too, it starts to feel like they see us as nothing more than a rolling ATM.
Speaking of Khan, let’s talk ULEZ. What started as a central London initiative to cut pollution has expanded into what many now see as a war on the average driver to fill Transport for London’s coffers. Pushed by Khan, ULEZ has moved from being a Central London traffic policy to feeling more like a money grab for the working class.
Here at home in North Kent, we’re on the border and suffering taxation without representation – stuck paying these charges when making a trip, for example, to Queen Mary’s Hospital. I have never seen a more negative reaction to a political policy in my life, the strength of feeling, and the (often too far) action that’s been taken in response, just speaks for itself.
Clean air is great. But tell that to the small business owners and families who can’t afford to upgrade to ULEZ-compliant vehicles and won’t get any help from the Mayor’s scrappage scheme. The plan may have started with good intentions, but for many, it is another tax, hitting those who can least afford it the hardest.
If you think you’ve had it rough with congestion charges, just wait until the Silvertown Tunnel opens in 2025. Not only will it come with tolls, but so will its older, more congested neighbour, the Blackwall Tunnel. Labour says it’s all about reducing traffic and funding greener transport options.
But for drivers, it feels like yet another way to bleed us dry. And the punchline to this poor joke? The areas around these tunnels are so starved for public transport that for many, driving is the only option. So, these tolls aren’t just inconvenient—they’re unavoidable. If your car happens to offend the Mayor’s eco-sensibilities, expect to be hit with a £16.50 daily bill just for the pleasure of getting from A to B, once compounded with ULEZ.
The ongoing saga of the Dartford Crossing is a bad soap opera for motorists. It’s one of the UK’s worst traffic bottlenecks, and Labour’s indecision about the Lower Thames Crossing isn’t helping.
After the initial delay for the general election by the previous government, the new Secretary of State had a chance to demonstrate to us that her government was serious about this and make a final planning decision on the matter – yet she chose to kick the can down the road to May 2025, capitulating to the concerns of Labour backbench MPs and so-called pressure groups, like the “Lower Thames Crossing Action Group”, who seem to want to do anything but take action.
Motorists here in Dartford stuck in the daily gridlock are beyond frustrated, especially since Labour has been dithering on whether to fix the problem. Every day of indecision means more cars stuck in queues, more road rage, and more drivers cursing Starmer’s name. It’s a classic from the playbook of Khan: major promises, minor action, and motorists paying the price.
In fairness, Labour isn’t just out to make drivers miserable. Their policies aim to reduce carbon emissions and clean up the air, which are noble goals. A greener future is something we should all get behind—if we’re given the right tools to get there. The problem is, that they’re going pedal-to-the-metal on these policies without providing realistic alternatives for drivers. If you live in an area with few public transport options or rely on your car for work, you’re probably feeling more punished than supported.
So, is the new Labour government the most hostile to motorists in the world? Well, for many UK drivers, it sure feels that way. Perhaps their policies are rooted in good intentions, but the execution is shabby. From ULEZ expansions and tolls to traffic jams, it’s no wonder drivers feel like they’re being left in the dust.
If Labour wants to avoid a full-blown driver revolt, they’re going to have to start paying attention to the very real concerns of the people who rely on their cars every single day.
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