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Boris scraps Ken's plan to hit gas-guzzlers with £25 congestion charge
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard08.07.08
Boris Johnson has axed plans to charge gas-guzzlers £25 to drive in the congestion charge zone.
The High Court confirmed today that the paperwork needed to end former London mayor Ken Livingstone's key policy had been completed.
This means there will be no increase in charge for drivers of Band G vehicles from October 2008. The Band A and B discount, which would have resulted in thousands of cars driving into the zone for free and adding to congestion, has also been removed.
Ending the charge on the capital's most polluting vehicles at this stage means that Transport for London will save around £10million that would have gone on implementing the scheme.
The move also means Porsche is entitled to have legal costs, estimated at £400,000, paid by TfL after it launched a challenge to the former mayor's plans.
But the car-maker has offered to donate the money it receives to Skidz, a charity that provides young people, particularly those with few advantages, with mechanical skills and training that could lead to future employment.
Skidz will use the money to set up a branch in Hillingdon. Mr Johnson said: "My commitment to making the congestion charge fairer and more effective for Londoners is well known.
"And I am delighted that we have been able to scrap the £25 charge, which would have hit families and small businesses hardest. I believe the proposal would actually have made congestion worse by allowing thousands of small cars in for free.
"I am very pleased to hear that rather than adding to their own coffers, Porsche have decided to use the costs we are now required to provide them with to support Skidz. I am delighted that Skidz will use the money to offer training for young people in the capital."
TfL commissioner Peter Hendy said: "We will be working with the Mayor to strive to cut CO2 emissions from transport in London by promoting cycling and walking, encouraging people to drive in a more efficient way and by cutting Transport for London's own CO2 emissions."
The decision by the Mayor means that the discount for alternative fuel vehicles will remain in place and the existing congestion charge scheme will not be affected.
The London Low Emission Zone, which seeks to reduce harmful emissions from the largest diesel-engined vehicles like lorries, buses and coaches, is unaffected.
Reader views (26)
Congratulations to Boris on reversing Livingstone's 'gas guzzler' policy
Now perhaps he would get his team to urgently look at the LEZ scheme to make this fairer, too
It seems ridiculous to have decided to NOT consider the huge benefits of running diesels on Biodiesel, already accepted by both German & US administrations as yielding environmental improvements, and which are being penalised by the existing measures, and further, seems to have more to do with selling a certain manufacturers exhaust boxes, which need even more careful environmental treatment at the end of their life.
We all want to live in cleaner air in our cities and diesels can be run on Biodiesel effectively with little or no modification, and there is ample evidence of the benefits. So instead of collecting the pollution in a high grade metal filter in concentrated form, isn't it better to not burn polluting fuel in the first place
Come on Boris, win some real transport support!
The Truckers who we depend on for our goods in the shops!
- Henry Cox, Chatham, UK
I think to call it a congestion charge is a joke. With regards to the west London extension it was done to appease capita who wasn't making enough money to run it, now Boris what about removing the western extension, when the new shopping centre the biggest in Europe is opened shepherds bush will become a carpark removing the extension will ease this traffic immensely.
- Simon, hemel uk
Well done Boris, common sense in city hall at last. Now lets get rid of the western extension completely may might free up traffic in the original zone again as less people enjoy the free ride to work from Chelsea. That would also mean that I don't have to take a 3 mile diversion every time I want to get home to Battersea to avoid the charge.
- Oli, London
Here we go. Boris panders to West London. bring back Ken. Why shouldn't Chelsea mum driving her tractor to meet her chums for lunch pay up? Rather her than City Hall sponging more money from council tax paid in "deprived" boroughs like Lewisham. Lets wait and see where Boris is going to get the funding he would have got from the gas guzzler tax from...
- Headhunter, London
The C-charge is a complete waste of time anyway. Does charging drivers money actually save the environment? Or does it keep Livingstone's friends at Capita(the company who run the C-charge)richer? It's just a lefty vote winning strategy to keep the green factions happy, nothing more.
- Mike Stern, london
Well done Boris, this was just another slimy stealth tax put in by someone who hates cars (and loved doing deals with the company that put in all those spy cameras to enforce the "congestion zone"); now we have a Mayor who loves cycling and he is dismantling some of the old apparatus and getting on with the job
- Marcos, South London
Saved 10 million. Good spread the word. Get rid of all this green rubbish, it costs more to run than it saves.
The sign litter generated by all these plans, exceeds the pollution it sets out to save. Do we need a sign on every street corner, telling us that it is an emission zone. Politicians off all parties, get into bed with any group that has a marginal vote, that may help them get elected. This is the case with the Greens. Spend the savings on more effective police and education for the young and disaffected.
- Mike, Westerham kent
The dimwit politician can't possibly upset his cavier chums now can he!
A return to Thaterite rich self-centred interests. And where will the surplus come from to make up the shortfall? Well it certainly won't be from the 4 x 4 driving Smith-Jones will it.
Fantastic.
- Charles Marino, Walthamstow
No surprise, but neither will be next year's above inflation council tax rise to cover the revenue gap when the poor will have to further subsidise the rich and their gas guzzlers.
- John, Battersea
3 cheers for Boris! Now get on and abolish the western extension, and preferably the central area as well. I remind you of the overwhelming hostility of west London to the extension.
Good luck to you!
- Neil, london
Good on Boris again!
- Anthony, London NW1
Well done Boris a politician that keeps his word. I don't drive a big car so it would not have affected me. But it was just another tax.
- Dave Smith, Croydon
Rich Self Centred Groups 1 - 0 London Pedestrians
I just hope that those with respiratory problems don't pay the ultimate price for Boris' short sightedness.
- Justin, London, England
Congrats on voting for Boris you London mugs. Now you can enjoy paying your rates direct to Porsche.
- Unamused, Brighton, UK
Well done Boris! A promise kept at last!
- Peter, n1
Stephanie, London: A 4x4 is a lifestyle choice as is a baby. Live with it.
- Invicta, Chatham, Kent
Truly low-emmission cars are still exempt Stephanie.....Well done Boris! Further confirmation I voted correctly. I also do not own a "gas guzzler".
- Mark, London, UK
I was turning Green and bought myself a low emission Band B Fiat. I am now turning Red and will be reverting to my Band Z V8.
- Nick Band, London
Good stuff, Boris. It’s extraordinarily pleasing to know that the vociferous minority is now being ignore and the acquiescent majority finally being heard.
- St, London
As a non-gas guzzler car owner, Boris's decision is correct.
The C-charge is supposed to be a congestion charge, not a CO2 charge.
Higher CO2 emitting cars have to pay in lower fuel economy and higher car taxes, in a recession, as it is.
- Jack R, Lancaster
What’s this? A bit of common sense in the UK. I need to sit down.
Well done – at last.
- Sean Dempsey, hayes middx
Thanks Boris, that's exactly why I didn't vote for you. I was looking forward to driving my baby to his City nursery in my low-emission car but it looks like I am now consigned to a 2-bus journey with a pushchair.
I'll be thinking of you as I battle with the elements...
- Stephanie, London, UK
This is great news. A mayor that finally understands that the car is not the problem with this city, it is the people who clog up the roads by using massive oversized buses that do. If they worked a bit harder maybe they could afford a nice car and these dirty buses and dangerous cyclists could finally be removed from the roads and we can all drive in peace and without getting stabbed or overheating in rush hour.
- Kevin, London
Well done Boris! Shall we all now do the same as you and put our fingers in my ears and say lalalala whenever anyone mentions global warming!
And you cant possibly upset your braying friends in Kensington and Chelsea who say that they cant get Tarquin to school in anything but a Porsche 4x4.
- Mark, Streatham
That's why we voted you in. Thank you Boris.
- Mr S.Port, London
Nice one Boris,
Looking forward to romping through the city in my giant 4x4 completely unfeterred for exactly the same cost as someone who omits a tenth of the pollution.
Climate change is all a lie made up by communists.. fact.
- David, Bexley
