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Greens attack car fee plans

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Published Date: 15 August 2007
KEN Livingstone faced a green backlash yesterday over his plans to give at least 25,000 small cars free access to the congestion-charge zone in London.
Under new proposals, the C-charge will be used to penalise the worst-polluting cars - but reward people who drive smaller vehicles with free access from February.

But the plan is being opposed by environmentalists, who described it as "madness". Until now the only total exemption from the £8-a-day charge was for electric, hybrid and bio-fuel cars.



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  • Last Updated: 14 August 2007 8:16 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Road tolls
 
1

Conan,

Here 15/08/2007 00:23:27

The worst polluting cars should not even be licensed for the road and should pay a tax equal to their original purchase price every year if they are to be allowed on the road.

2

Charles MN,

15/08/2007 02:08:39

Ken's got an election coming up so he has to do something to keep the electorate on his side. People are starting to ask questions about his headline policy such as why does it cost so much to run ( £930 million raised , £916 million spent on collection so far) and why it hasn't reduced pollution (see pages 68-71 of the TFL report).

http://philtaylor.org.uk/?p=726
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/fifth-annual-impac...

3

Guga II,

Rockall 15/08/2007 03:17:24

They should charge Red Ken every time he opens his mouth.

4

StevenB,

15/08/2007 10:01:39

The worst polluting cars are the so called hybrids and electric cars.

Whilst, while they are being driven they are fuel efficient and cost less to run that a normal petrol engined car.

But, taken over the whole life of the car, being made and when it's life is over and needs to be destroyed, they are are so bad for the environment that it outways the benefits to the environment.

To be able to say "I have a green car" is just typical of the knee jerk reactions that prevail in this country today. Why not find out the "greenest" car overall and reduce the tax for these. It would force manufacturers to design and make batteries for example in a more environmentally friendly way.

Politicians will always look for the "quick" fix as the vast majority of the population get their information from tabloid newspapers.

5

AD in sunny Livingston,

15/08/2007 10:46:37

Look at people with "Green" cars and see how often they pop in them for a needless journey etc. People with less fuel efficient cars tend to think twice before turning that key.

6

Bike man,

Edinburgh 15/08/2007 11:38:41

Leave the car, join the Lycra mafia! Get where you need to go, ignore the rules of the road...
Sorry officer I cannot pay the fine, don't speak English, I'm an asylum seeker, you big racist etc!

7

NAATS,

15/08/2007 12:58:08

This is just another Ken con.

The worst pollution that comes from road vehicles is particulate matter. It mainly comes from buses, lorries and taxis. But buses and taxis are free from Ken's tolls, and in the London charge zone, a massive lorry only pays the same con charge as a car.

So Ken defines "pollution" as being CO2 - you know the stuff that plants breathe in. If you really wanted to reduce this then you would do it through fuel taxes and reduce other road taxes - and get rid of the con charge.


 

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