Sadiq Khan’s diesel scrappage scheme will not “go all the way” to compensate small businesses when the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) is introduced – a politician has claimed.

These comments came on Thursday from David Kurten, Brexit Alliance London Assembly Member, during an environment committee meeting where Shirly Rodrigues, the deputy mayor for the environment, was questioned on the progress of Mr Khan’s green policies.

Mr Kurten wanted to know how much small businesses would be getting under a £23 million diesel scrappage launched by Mr Khan last year to help small business swap to less polluting vehicles ahead of the ULEZ introduced in central London on April 2019.

Ms Rodrigues said the scrappage scheme was there to “contribute” to businesses purchasing an emissions compliant vehicle.

It was then revealed small businesses who want to swap their current vehicle to an electric van are entitled to £6,000 and those wishing to scrap their diesel polluting vehicle are entitled to £3,500.

But Mr Kurten hit out at the figures, saying: “That might go some way but not all the way to compensate small businesses.”

He added: “What are you going to do with the medium sized businesses because they are going to be in trouble?”

But Ms Rodrigues said: “There has been lots of consultation and a lot of businesses we have spoken to said they are looking at rerouting because they realise the health implications of dirty vehicles.

“We also want to see the Government match our funding because the impact of air pollution on people’s health, on children and on the elderly is pernicious.”

Ms Rodrigues also assured Mr Kurten that the mayor is doing all he can to reduce toxic air but needs more powers from the Government to the tackle problem.