Interesting time to introduce a measure that effectively means needing to buy a new car for taking kids to school, getting groceries, etc. given that the economy is tanking and for all intents and purposes the country is facing a long recession
That's kinda the point: disincentives, that will make people think twice about how they choose to live.
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.
Simple, large popular movements demanding it in the 70s. Before that their transportation was as car-centered as it is today in the US.
Adding a new train line cost $2bn over budget and about 5 years longer than planned.
I walked a mile to school in outer London in the 90s and it was absolutely fine.
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.