MPs have held talks with the government to express their anger over the London Mayor's controversial plans to expand the ULEZ zone to the border with Kent.

More than 200,000 more motorists could be slapped with a £12.50 daily fee to drive in the capital when the scheme is expanded from next August.

It comes after London mayor Sadiq Khan revealed plans at the end of November to expand the ULEZ to all London boroughs to help manage air pollution.

The Labour politician described the ULEZ as “transformational” and claimed extending it will mean “five million more people will be able to breathe cleaner air and live healthier lives”.

First introduced in April 2019, the scheme aims to help reduce the impact of vehicle emissions on the environment and encourage the use of more sustainable transport.

Initially it just covered central London but was expanded to cover the area within the north and south circular roads last October.

But its opponents claim it is a "money-grab" to help bolster the coffers of cash-strapped Transport for London.

It's also believed the scheme will hurt poorer citizens who rely on older cheaper models of cars and will struggle to get around in the absence of better public transport links.

Today a group of MPs from the South East met with transport minister Richard Holden to express their anger at plans to extend the ULEZ scheme.

Dartford MP Gareth Johnson, who was among those in attendance, said: "I told the minister that Dartford is likely to be the hardest hit area, when this scheme is introduced next year, as the border straddles the local area and the scrappage scheme will only apply to Londoners.

"We also have no control over the London Mayor. Many of the poorest people in Dartford will suffer a huge financial burden if this goes ahead.”

The proposal was not in the Mayor’s manifesto and the consultation on its extension was met with strong opposition.

"Many of the poorest people in Dartford will suffer a huge financial burden if this goes ahead"

Mr Johnson added: “If this goes ahead, it is possible for the Mayor to increase the number of vehicles caught by the scheme so that whilst it applies to one in seven vehicles now, this could rise substantially.”

“The cameras needed to implement this scheme will cost around £250m to install, money that will have to come from the Mayor as the government has rightly refused to pay it.

"Some of the London boroughs are also looking at whether they can block this scheme, but the Mayor has devolved powers over transport.”

Louie French, Tory MP for Bexley and Sidcup, also branded the proposals "outrageous".

He says the charge will destroy local businesses and have a massive impact on key workers and the emergency services who commute between Bexley and Kent.

"To spend double on cameras to fine people versus the scrappage scheme to help people, highlights again how this policy is about raising money on the backs of hard working Londoners rather than clean air," he said.

If you drive a vehicle that doesn't meet the emissions standards inside the expanded zone you could face a fine of up to £160, reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days.

After its most recent expansion in October it was revealed around 80,000 Kent motorists were slapped with an £80 fine after driving into the new ULEZ zones.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “The Mayor has been clear that it was not an easy decision to expand the ULEZ London-wide but a necessary one to reduce the capital’s toxic air pollution, tackle the climate emergency and cut congestion in our city.

"Around 4,000 Londoners die prematurely each year due to the toxic air in our city with the greatest number of deaths attributable to air pollution in London’s outer boroughs, which the ULEZ doesn’t currently cover.

"Children across London are growing up with stunted lungs while adults have greater risk of heart disease, dementia and other serious illnesses.

“The Mayor has been clear that it was not an easy decision to expand the ULEZ London-wide but a necessary one to reduce the capital’s toxic air pollution, tackle the climate emergency and cut congestion in our city."

They added: “The Mayor has listened to Londoners throughout this process, which is why he’s announced the biggest scrappage scheme yet - £110m - to help the Londoners who need it most, including low income and disabled Londoners, on top of the £61million he provided for previous scrappage schemes.

"Most Londoners – more than four in five - will not need to pay the ULEZ – so people should check if their vehicle is compliant by using TfL’s vehicle checker."

“Every penny raised by the expansion will be reinvested back into delivering public transport, including the biggest ever expansion of bus routes in outer London.

"Expanding the ULEZ London-wide will strike the best balance between maximising the health and environmental benefits for Londoners while minimising the cost to drivers.”

You can check whether your vehicle is ULEZ complaint using TfL's checker here.

Petrol cars must meet Euro 4 emissions standards to be ULEZ compliant. Most, if not all, petrol cars registered since January 2006 meet these standards.

In the case of Diesel cars they must meet Euro 6 standards to pass. Almost every diesel car registered since September 2015 meets these standards, though some earlier models dating back to 2012 do too.

All electric cars are ULEZ compliant as they produce zero tailpipe emissions.