Fury at Labour 'war on motorists' as Mark Drakeford dreams up new ULEZ plan for motorways

Labour has unveiled a plan to charge drivers a so-called "pollution charge" on motorways with the first scheme being tried out by Mark Drakeford's hard-left government in Wales.

The charge for drivers on parts of the M4 which runs across south Wales will, according to the Conservatives, destroy the economy of the Principality and comes on top of Mr Drakeford's controversial 20mph speed limit scheme.

Already the M4 scheme is being dubbed "ULEZ for motorways" after Sadiq Khan's expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London is forcing thousands of drivers to pay £12.50 a day in charges.

But there are concerns too that Wales is a testing ground for anti-driver schemes and green taxes which will then be rolled out across the UK if Sir Keir Starmer wins the next general election.

Already, Labour's Deputy Leader Angela Rayner has warned that ULEZ schemes are "coming to towns and cities across the UK" in a hint at Labour's future plans.

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Sir Keir has also claimed that the Labour Government in Wales will be the model for a UK Labour government in Westminster.

The Welsh Conservatives are fighting to prevent the scheme and have forced a vote on the issue in the Welsh Parliament (the Senedd).

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew R.T. Davies claimed that the scheme is the latest example of "Labour's war on motorists".

He said: "Road charging is Labour's latest idea to damage the Welsh economy and cause misery for Welsh motorists.

Conservative Party chairman Richard Holden said: “Mark Drakeford’s war on motorists is bringing Wales to a complete standstill - but it’s far worse than that.

“Sir Keir has praised Labour-run Wales as the blueprint for the rest of the UK - so we know he would waste no time introducing these bonkers measures across the whole of the country.

“In Wales, we’ve already seen ridiculous blanket 20mph speed limits, all major road building projects scrapped and now a green light for a half-baked ULEZ style tax raid on hardworking people - a reminder that nowhere would be safe for motorists under Labour."

The Tories have laid down an amendment to a proposal to introduce charges on trunk roads - the M4 and major A roads - in the Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) Bill.