Small cars to escape congestion charge

More than 25,000 small cars will be allowed into the congestion zone free of charge under plans revealed today.

Ken Livingstone wants the C-charge to be waived for low CO2 emitting makes such as the Ford Fiesta, Fiat Panda, Renault Clio and Vauxhall Corsa.

But the worst offenders, including many "Chelsea tractors", will have the daily fee increased from £8 to £25 from October.

Free access for the lowest bands of London-registered cars could start in February if the proposals are approved.

But experts fear it could send congestion levels spiralling. Jenny Jones, a Green member of the London Assembly, described the proposals as "madness".

Environmentalists and motoring groups also warned he had moved the goal posts on the charge, originally designed to get traffic moving in central London.

Under new proposals, it will be used to penalise the worst polluting cars - but reward people who drive smaller vehicles.

Until now the only total exemption from the £8-a-day charge was for electric, hybrid and bio-fuel cars, such as the Toyota Prius and G-Whizz.

The scheme is still subject to a major public consutlation but will be the centrepiece of Ken Livingstone's campaign to get re-elected as Mayor.

Details of the plans came as new figures showed sales of "Green" cars are already booming.

Statistics from the London Assembly Green Party show that 9,500 were sold in the UK in the first six months of this year - more than the total for last year.

More than a third of these were sold in London.

Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show that more than 25,000 vehicles in bands A and B are registered to London addresses.

Across the South-East the number of cars with the potential to enter London free of charge is even higher, at about 80,000.

Jenny Jones, a Green member of the London Assembly, said the proposals exposed "the shortcomings in Ken's environmental credibility".

She said: "This is a backward step. The charge has two main aims; cutting the number of vehicles in the zone and cutting pollution.

"It is not good enough to have a clean but congested city, which is what these proposals could bring about. I am not keen on any cars being free.

"Having said that, I'm very supportive of congestion charging and of emissions charging - we all want a cleaner, calmer city."

Angie Bray, leader of the London Assembly Conservatives, said: "Ken is trying to wear a Green cloak that doesn't fit.

"If he allows in a stream of smaller cars this will not make the contribution to the environment that he has hyped.

"The Retail Motor Industry Federation described Mr Livingstone's proposals as "ineffective", saying they were a poorway to cut traffic as more cars would be eligible for a waiver.

A Transport for London consultation paper admits "there could be an increase in congestion" in the zone due to the "potential encouragement of bands A and B cars".

It adds: "It is clear that a degradation of congestion benefits-could undermine the primary aim of the congestion charge scheme and could result in increases rather than decreases in CO2 from traffic."

Band A and B vehicles emit 120 grammes of CO2 per kilometre or less. According to the Vehicle Certification Agency, there are 68 makes of car within this limit.

Many are diesels, which, although they emit less CO2, are regarded as a major pollution threat by environmentalists.

The Mayor says his proposal will "ensure London is leading the way in the fight against climate changeî.

TfL said the aim was "to create a reasonable amount of choice for those who want to switch to lower emissions vehicles".