The Liberal Democrat-controlled Richmond Borough Council in south west London plans to charge residents who drive ‘gas-guzzling’ cars [ie those with high CO2 emissions] significantly more for permits to park outside their homes in a bid to tackle pollution. It will also put a 50% surcharge on households with two vehicles.
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However, Reuters reported, environmentally-friendly cars such as petrol electric hybrids would not have to pay for a permit at all.
“If you’ve got an electric car you’ll pay nothing, if you’ve got a small car you might go down by 50%, if you have an average car your charge will probably go down a bit or up a bit,” council leader Serge Lourie reportedly told BBC radio. “But if you’ve got a large car we’ll be charging you significantly more. And if you’ve got a large Jag (Jaguar) for example you’ll be paying 200% more.”
The news agency said the move came after national Lib Dem leader Menzies Campbell won backing for punitive environmental tax plans at the party’s annual conference in September, putting green issues at the forefront of its future policies.
It also echoes plans by London mayor Ken Livingstone to hike the capital’s congestion charge for drivers of large sports utility vehicles (SUVs) to as much as GBP25 a day [from GBP8 at present], Reuters added.
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By GlobalDataThe news agency noted that Livingstone’s proposals include a reduction in the current charge for motorists with cleaner vehicles.
In August a poll found that over two-thirds of Londoners backed the plans in a bid to discourage the use of SUVs, mockingly dubbed ‘Chelsea Tractors’ by critics of the upmarket London district where they are especially popular, the report said.
Under Richmond council’s plans, homeowners with a high-emission car, such as a Jaguar XJ, a Porsche 911 or Renault Espace, would pay as much as GBP300 a year instead of the current GBP100 charge while those with two of these cars would face a possible overall charge of GBP750, Reuters noted.
The Conservative party under new leader David Cameron are also seeking to highlight their green credentials however the party’s council leader in Richmond reportedly said such draconian measures would not get public support.
Councillor Nicholas True reportedly said the plans amounted to a million pound tax on local families and businesses.
“There’s talk about gas-guzzlers.” he told the BBC. “Actually it’s small family cars, 1.5 litres upwards will pay extra under (the) proposals.”
The measure goes to the full council for approval on 6 November and the borough hopes to implement it in Janauary after consulting with residents and local businesses.
How London newspaper cartoonist Matt sees it
