Sadiq Khan plans new 'T charge' for polluting cars that spew toxic fumes

New Mayor Mr Khan announces first major plan to clean up London's filthy air
'Toxic' air: Smog hangs over the City of London
Jeremy Selwyn

A new “T-Charge” could be introduced for vehicles belching out the most toxic fumes in central London next year, Sadiq Khan announced today.

The toxicity levy would be on top of the Congestion Charge, cover the same area and use its network of cameras to identifying the very worst polluting vehicles entering the zone.

They are expected to include cars, vans and lorries.

Mayor of London Mr Khan also proposed today a dramatic extension of the Ultra Low Emission Zone which is planned for the city centre in 2020.

It could now instead cover a far wider area, running from the North Circular Road to the South Circular Road, and may be brought in earlier.

Motorists whose car, vans and motorbike fail to meet set emission standards will have to pay a £12.50 charge for travelling in the ULEZ.

The two proposals are among a string of measures in a consultation by Mr Khan who knows he will be judged on whether he succeeds in tackling the capital’s toxic air blamed for a death toll of up to 9,400-a-year.

"We need big, bold and sometimes difficult policies if London is to match the scale of the challenge"

&#13; <p>Mayor Sadiq Khan</p>&#13;

“I have been elected with a clear mandate to clean up London’s air – our biggest environmental challenge,” he said.

“In the past, London has only responded after an emergency, like with the Clean Air Act, which followed the Great London Smogs of the 1950s.

“But I want to act before an emergency, which is why we need big, bold and sometimes difficult policies if London is to match the scale of the challenge.”

The Standard’s Clean London campaign thrust air quality to the top of the political agenda during the mayoral battle.

Other proposed measures today include:

  • Transport for London to work on costs and challenges of a scrappage scheme for dirty diesel vehicles, stressing it would be for the Government to introduce it as a nationwide move.

  • Introducing ULEZ standards for heavy vehicles London-wide from 2020.

  • Clean bus corridors to tackling the worst pollution hotspots by concentrating cleaner buses on the dirtiest routes.

  • Bringing in ULEZ standards a year earlier for TfL double decker buses

  • Expanding the ULEZ retrofit programme to 3,000 buses outside the central zone (up from 2,000)

  • Buying only hybrid or zero-emission double-decker buses from 2018.

Mr Khan also pledged in his election manifesto to work with Westminster Council, local businesses and taxis to pedestrianise Oxford Street and revive plans to part-pedestrianise Parliament Square.

The blueprint unveiled today is expected to be supported by many Londoners, air quality campaigners and environmentalists, though could be opposed by some motorists.

Simon Birkett, founder of Clean Air in London, said: “It’s fabulous to send a powerful, early signal to discourage the most polluting vehicles from entering the most polluted parts of London.

“The North/South circulars extension of ULEZ is absolutely the right thing to do.”

Professor Frank Kelly, professor of environmental health at King’s College London, stressed Mr Johnson’s ULEZ plans were “too little and too late to provide the improvements in air quality that London needs”.

He added: “The new Mayor, Sadiq Khan’s, announcement that he will launch a formal policy consultation in a matter of weeks on a major package of measures to tackle air pollution is therefore very welcome news."

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