Pay as you go to drive in London?

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London has extended its ULEZ congestion tax ,the 'Ultra Low Emissions Zone'. It was in central London for years and next month it stretches out to most of Greater London. It means if your car or van is older than 15-years and so deemed polluting you have to pay the tax every day you enter the zone, £12.50. The powers that be in London say its government policy to reduce air pollution and this is the way forward. Poorer people with older cars are now paying the tax daily to get to work and play. London say nine out of ten cars and vans in the new zone are fairly new so wont not have to pay the tax. Those against it say the 10% of old cars wont produce enough pollution to make a difference.so it is a tax. ULEZ generated £187 million pounds a MONTH in 2022,, a third of that amount through fines for not paying it. Its very lucrative., Now, because the scheme cut pollution and people moved to low emission car use over the years cynics would say they expanded it to get the lost income back up. The London mayor who introduced it is now Labor and a recent election cost the party a London seat as this was the number one issue. 700,000 more drivers are now having to pay it when they leave their house. These people live in outer London so public transport not as good to get about. The new zone will bump takings back up to £300 million a day! The camera system installed, one day down the line, will no doubt be adapted to charge electric cars per mile as we all move away from diesel and petrol, so very little revenue , perhaps proof all along it was just a tax. Is it about air pollution or is it simply a tax?