Work out your car’s congestion charge band

The Mayor of London confirmed today that drivers of 4x4s and high emissions vehicles will be hit by a £25 charge every time they enter central London (writes Nico Hines).

The new congestion charges will be introduced in October with more than 30,000 cars driven every day in London, including high-powered sports and some saloons, joining four-wheel drives in the top bracket of charging.

All vehicles emitting more than 225 grams of CO2 per kilometre (g/k), as well as those registered before March 2001, which have engines larger than 3,000cc, will be forced to pay £25 to enter central London between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday.

Most cars will continue to pay the current £8 fee, but cars with the lowest carbon dioxide emissions will be able to drive across the capital for free.

Ken Livingstone, the architect of the scheme, said: “Nobody needs to damage the environment by driving a gas-guzzling Chelsea tractor in central London. The CO2 emissions from the most high-powered 4x4s and sports cars can be up to four times as great as the least polluting cars.”

“The CO2 charge will encourage people to switch to cleaner vehicles or public transport and ensure that those who choose to carry on driving the most polluting vehicles help pay for the environmental damage they cause.

“This is the ’polluter pays’ principle. At the same time, the 100 per cent discount for the lowest CO2 emitting vehicles will give drivers an incentive to use the least polluting cars available.”

Mr Livingstone said he hoped the changes would make an impact across the world and encourage other cities to follow suit.

He said Transport for London would monitor the scheme and vary the charges and exemptions in the future according to the success of the plan.

For the first time, from October 27, cars categorised as Band A and B that emit 120 g/k of CO2 or less and meet the Euro4 European air quality standard will be given free entry into the congestion zone.

A spokesman for business group London First attacked the reduction in charges for some drivers. “This is just daft - we know this is election year, but encouraging gridlock in the centre of London is no vote winner,” he said.

“Band A and B cars do not reduce CO2, they add to it, and they add to congestion which drives up CO2 emissions from the vehicles stuck in the queue behind them. The Mayor’s policy on congestion is in tatters.”

Of cars currently being driven in the congestion charging zone, 17 per cent would be liable for the £25 charge and just 2 per cent for the total discount.

It is estimated that approximately 33,000 vehicles that will fall into the £25 charge category drive into London every day.

Transport for London claim that around a third of these will no longer come into the charge zone but the remaining vehicles will generate between £30 million to £50 million a year. They say most of this money will be spent on new cycling and walking initiatives.

The congestion charge was introduced in February 2003 and covered just central London, with the daily charge set at £5. Since then the charge has gone up to £8 a day and a western extension, incorporating such areas as Kensington and Chelsea, has been added to the congestion area.

Mr Livingstone said today that there would be no change to the size of the congestion zone.

Friends of the Earth director Tony Juniper said: “Road traffic is one of the biggest contributors to climate change. Measures that get people to choose greener cars as well as to drive less are urgently needed.

“Charging gas-guzzling vehicles more to drive in central London is extremely welcome and supported by most Londoners. We are delighted that Mr Livingstone is taking a lead on this issue.”