| Motoring News | London Congestion Charge |
From 27 October 2008, a number of significant new changes will come into force regarding the controversial London Congestion Charge. The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, claims that the changes are to encourage the purchase and use of lower polluting vehicles, despite the continued use of the 'congestion charge' name.
Although the headline grabbing news is the adoption of a new £25 charge for the highest polluters, there will also be an exemption for cars emitting less than 120g/km of CO
. Given the rise in the number of vehicles available ducking under this barrier, it's possible that the new rules will have less of an effect on congestion than the original 2003 regulations did.
The car makers were quick to announce how many models in their line-ups are now eligible for the 100% reduction, though many official organisations, such as the SMMT and the RAC, were quick to condemn the new charging scheme. It's thought that other cities in Britain will adopt a similar pricing structure later this year.
The full charging structure may be found here and the Mayor's comments are available here.
Shane O' Donoghue - 13 Feb 2008