Or do without a car..? I'm quite confused about how car centric one's world view must be to not even entertain the idea of not using one for all these daily things?

You overestimate the public transportation. If you live in the middle of nowhere on the outskirts of Epsom, or deep in some residential neighborhood in Surbiton, you’d have to walk 2+ miles just to reach a bus stop, and then a long journey to get to school.

Then long term people should stop living places like that and assume they still can take a car to the middle of the city for every small thing.

That's kinda the point: disincentives, that will make people think twice about how they choose to live.

You don’t seem to get it, these aren’t schools in central London. The residential neighborhoods and schools are both in the boonies. But sure, people should all cram into a congested and extremely overpriced housing market that is run by foreign money and immediately change all habits…

I didn't say immediately change all habits. I literally wrote long term. Don't straw man me, please.

Over time, changes like these will make people reconsider, and perhaps not move to places without public transit or where schools are far away. Or municipalities will have to change, offer these things or people will abandon them. Either way, it slowly fixes things.

Then demand Better public transportation. How do you think the Netherlands became the transportation paradise It is today?

Simple, large popular movements demanding it in the 70s. Before that their transportation was as car-centered as it is today in the US.

Agreed but not feasible overnight , and the time frame for this new tax is much closer to a sudden change than the required infrastructure overhaul.

Adding a new train line cost $2bn over budget and about 5 years longer than planned.

A good reason to build bike infra.

Behavioural change is a key part of these schemes. Kids walking to school, families getting groceries delivered, or picking up groceries by foot on the walk home from the bus are all viable low-cost options in London.

Nobody in London should be driving their kids to school.

I walked a mile to school in outer London in the 90s and it was absolutely fine.

This zone would extend as far as Kingston, and some people don’t live near their school or a reliably serviced bus stop

Really?

In Bromley (which is also getting the ULEZ extension) the buses go pretty far into the sticks.

Places like Keston, Downe and Biggin Hill have good TFL bus access while being basically rural villages. Seriously, look up Downe on a map. It's in the middle of nowhere.

Kingston is incredibly well served with schools being walking distance bus stops.

Sure, but not if you don't live in Kingston itself but go to school there.

You don't need to buy a new car. The ULEZ standards are pretty relaxed.