Tractors spiralling on roundabouts joined a protest against the incoming changes to the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) earlier today.

The demonstration was held in Orpington by those voicing their concerns over the scheme which is set to expand to the Kent border in August.

Footage shows agricultural vehicles on the A232 near the War Memorial alongside cars honking their horns, and people handing out leaflets on foot.

The ULEZ scheme is designed to cut emissions in London to improve air quality and public health.

But it would mean drivers of older, more polluting vehicles would have to fork out £12.50 a day to drive in the zone.

It currently covers the majority of London, but in five months time it will expand to all 33 boroughs including Bexley and Bromley on the Kent border, and even parts of Dartford.

The London Mayor Sadiq Khan says he is waging “war on poisonous air” and tackling toxic fumes in and around the capital through the scheme.

But demonstrators feel agricultural workers who are already struggling will be hit the hardest by the charges.

Ronnie Townsend who joined the protest explained: "Many elderly and young people have no idea this is happening.

"Bromley and Bexley are rural boroughs with farms, equestrian facilities, small rural businesses plus all our small local tradespeople.

"We are not near tubes and we only have one bus an hour in Cudham, Pratts Bottom and Knockholt.

"The ULEZ will impact on Kent Farmers who travel in and out of these London Boroughs and Kent is a huge agricultural supplier to the South East and this will hit farmers who are already struggling along with the rest of us with the cost of living.

"We all believe we live in Kent and not London."

The London Borough of Bromley was created in 1965 out of the former Beckenham and Bromley Boroughs, Orpington and Penge Urban Districts (UD), and the Chislehurst and Sidcup UD.

Prior to 1965 these were all in Kent, including Bexley which was an ancient parish in the county.

Gareth Bacon, the Tory MP for Orpington, has also criticised the scheme saying it's not “about air pollution” but rather “about money".

He told GB News: “Mayor Khan has decided to do something that's going to really hurt the people that live in Orpington.

“The Mayor is claiming this is necessary in order to get rid of bad air, but we don't have bad air in Orpington.

"The kind of people he is going to be hitting are our social care workers and ordinary everyday people that need their cars.

“We don't have public transport options here or certainly not the number that we have in central London.

"And he's hurting them for no benefit at all because he knows that this is not going to improve air quality."

When asked about how it will impact the farming community in his constituency, he added: “It's going to be devastating because to replace some of the kits are going to be in the region of several £100,000s.

“We actually have operating farms here.

"It's going to smash up our businesses. It's going to smash up our care workers, our police officers and our firefighters. It's not a win for anybody.

“I’ve had 1,000s of people contacting me. I've had a lot of pensioners who are saying they're going to be housebound, now they can't get out and they can't afford to replace their vehicles.

"I've had charities contacting me saying they're going to have to shut their doors.

"I've heard people that work for emergency services who live outside greater London say they can’t come to visit family and friends.

“I was supportive of the charge going into central London in the congestion charging zone and I think that that was the right thing to do. I think it was much more of a stretch to take it out to the north and south circular.

"There is no case whatsoever to bring it out to other places.”

Some residents in Dartford have previously agreed calling it a "money grab".

A petition was previously set up by those annoyed and frustrated with the Greater London authority for "ignoring the community of the outer boroughs".

More than 640 people have signed it.