Diesel drivers face £24 charge to enter London

Drivers of some of the oldest and most polluting vehicles will be forced to pay up to £24 a day when driving in central London under plans unveiled by London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

He has published proposals to expand the introduction of an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in the capital.

Cars, vans and motorcycles which do not meet emission standards would pay £12.50 per day on top of the existing £11.50 congestion charge, bringing their total fees to £24.

Buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles would face a £100 daily charge in addition to their congestion payments.

Plans for a new 'T-Charge' on vehicles which do not meet Euro 4 emission standards - typically petrol and diesel cars registered before 2006 - are due to come into force from October of this year.

This will see owners of such vehicles paying an extra £10 per weekday on top of the existing £11.50 congestion charge.

The Mayor's proposals call for the T-Charge to be replaced by the Ultra Low Emission Zone on 8 April, 2019, more than a year sooner than previously planned.

Air pollution is linked to 9,400 deaths in London every year and tackling the problem was a key manifesto promise for Mr Khan.

As an example of London's pollution problems, one road in England's capital exceeded its allowed annual levels of nitrogen dioxide just five days into 2017.

The new ULEZ will, at the outset, cover the existing congestion charge zone but could expand to reach the North and South Circular roads by 2021, subject to consultation.

It would also include heavy diesel vehicles such as buses, coaches and lorries from 2020, but London black taxis would be exempt.

The ULEZ will apply all day every day - a significant departure from current charges which are only enforced between 7am and 6pm on weekdays - and will raise the amounts charged in daily fees.

Commenting on the plans Mayor Sadiq Khan said: "The air in London is lethal and I will not stand by and do nothing.

"Today I'm announcing bold proposals which are critically needed to safeguard Londoners from our air quality health crisis.

"These measures will help improve the air that millions of Londoners breathe.

"I want to announce my intention to consult on these proposals in good time so that business and those affected by new charges will have time to make changes they need to adapt to our low emission requirements."

Consultations on the various aspects of the proposals will take place this year, with the first - gathering opinions on the 2019 launch date - begins today.