The London Mayor said he wants to introduce an emissions-based congestion charge fee in an attempt to reduce pollution in the capital that will hit the pockets of drivers of the most heavily-polluting vehicles.

Vehicles in the excise duty Band G with carbon-dioxide emission above 225g per km, would pay the top charge, while drivers of the least polluting cars, like the G-Wiz, would be charged nothing under the proposals.

Mr Livingstone said: "Most vehicles that will be charged £25, in Vehicle Excise Duty Band G, are high priced models. Those who buy them can afford to choose from pretty much the whole of the mainstream car market but have chosen to buy one of the most polluting vehicles.

"By making these changes to the congestion charging scheme we are encouraging people to take into account the impact of their choice of new car on the environment and the planet."

The proposals, which are subject to consultation, are expected to be introduced from 2009, but Mr Livingstone has instructed Transport for London to examine the possibility of an earlier start date.

In a further blow to 4x4 drivers the proposals also include withdrawing the 90 per cent resident's discount for people living within the congestion charging zone who own vehicles in band G.

Under the proposals vehicles in the excise duty band charge A and B, which emit less than 120g CO2 per km, would pay nothing. The current £8 charge would apply for cars in bands C, D, E and F, with CO2 emissions between 120g and 225g per km. But drivers of vehicles in band G with CO2 emission above 225g per km would pay the top charge of £25.

Mr Livingstone's announcement today comes three weeks after Richmond Council, south west London, became the first local authority in the country to announce plans for emissions-based residents' parking charges. It has raised criticism from motoring groups who accuse him of adding further financial burden to large families.

London's congestion charge zone is also being expanded westwards on February 19.

Paul Watters, head of roads and transport policy for The AA Motoring Trust, said: "Adding hundreds of pounds on to the tax burden of large families and drivers who have good reason to be in these vehicles is quite simply unfair, particularly with the expansion of the congestion zone into residential West London."

Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation, said: "We support proposals to remove the congestion charge from the least polluting vehicles, but have concerns about a blanket charge for all vehicles in Band G. Consumers and manufactures need longer timescales to change vehicles or to produce cleaner vehicles.

"The current proposals would hit certain species of Mondeo man as well as several popular people carriers."

However, Geoff Pope, the Liberal Democrat chairman of the London Assembly Transport Committee, praised the move to bear down on polluting vehicles.

He said: "Urgent action is needed to tackle the growing number of Chelsea tractors coming into central London. They are damaging and unnecessary vehicles in a densely urbanised, twenty-first century city."

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