Sadiq Khan was last night accused of orchestrating a new war against motorists.
In an extraordinary leak, a local government official was photographed on the Tube reading a confidential Transport for London (TfL) document that listed a string of anti-car proposals.
They included expanding cash-raising controlled parking zones, hiking the cost of parking permits, increasing the use of double yellow lines and slashing car parking spaces.
The Mail on Sunday understands the controversial measures are championed by a senior advisor at TfL, which is overseen by Sir Sadiq, London’s Labour Mayor, and are being suggested to councils.
Last night senior Tory MP Nick Timothy accused Khan of ‘planning to expand his war on motorists… and make life in our nation’s capital completely unliveable for ordinary Londoners who need a car to travel to work, get their kids to school, or look after elderly relatives’.
Sir Sadiq has already faced criticism for imposing the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez), which charges vehicles that do not meet certain engine standards £12.50 a day, and increasing the Congestion Charge from £15 per day to £18 from January 2026.
Now, the MoS’s revelations will spark fears that costs will rise even further for London’s drivers.
The local government official, whose identity is unknown, was pictured reading the document – marked ‘confidential’ – on the London Underground on June 3.
In an extraordinary leak, a local government official was photographed on the Tube reading a confidential Transport for London (TfL) document that listed a string of anti-car proposals
As a result Sir Sadiq, London’s Labour Mayor, has been accused of waging a new ‘war on motorists’
A CCTV enforcement vehicle parked on double yellow lines near box junction in the City of London
A page entitled ‘Jack’s list of policies’ listed multiple parking rules and costs to impose on motorists.
The MoS has confirmed the Jack in question is Jack Maizels, the ‘spatial policy lead’ on TfL’s ‘London Plan’ team. The London Plan sets out developments for the capital over the next 20 to 25 years.
TfL last night denied the policies in the leaked document were part of the next London Plan.
In a post on X in 2023, Mr Maizels wrote: ‘The idea that prioritising cars somehow provides people with more choice is the biggest misconception in transport.’
The policies in the confidential document include ‘new/expanded/strengthened parking zones’, ‘higher permit charges’, ‘emission based charges’ and ‘double yellow line expansion’.
One of the most controversial proposals is the ‘reallocation of car parking to other modes’.
It follows calls last year by a green charity for councils to scrap 25 per cent of London’s roadside parking spaces and turn them into ‘parklets’, rain gardens and cycle storage.
The document’s policies also included the ‘reallocation of general traffic lanes to other modes’, which it said would result in ‘quicker buses’, and ‘bus and cycle only streets’.
A previous attempt to pedestrianise Oxford Street was thwarted by the Conservatives. Pictured: A 2017 visualisation of what the shopping street could look like if cars were prohibited
Sadiq Khan has become the target for many drivers unhappy with the capitals ultra low emission zone (Ulez) but the scheme was actually announced when Boris Johnson was mayor
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan made the Ulez area almost four times larger in August 2023, creating the world’s biggest pollution charging zone
It also listed ‘destination parking charges’, suggesting cost hikes in the most popular areas of the capital, and ‘speed limits – safer speeds’, hinting at an expansion of 20mph zones with cameras.
Edmund King, president of the AA, said: ‘We’ve already seen an onslaught on drivers in London and Jack’s list seems to be the final nail in the coffin. If parking spaces are removed, what are Londoners to do?’
A Tfl spokesman said: ‘This is nothing to do with the London Plan or its policy development, and the document is not being used by TfL to inform transport policy.
‘It is simply a list of potential tools that boroughs may consider using to improve transport infrastructure and schemes.’
