Diesel drivers could be slapped with £20 'toxin tax' when entering cities

Drivers of diesel cars could be slapped with a £20-a-day “toxin tax” as the government looks to crack down on vehicles that cause air pollution.

The charge may be rolled out across 35 cites across England and affect drivers of both private and commercial vehicles that are run on diesel, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said.

“Nine or 10” of the country’s worst-affected cities may also impose a complete ban.

In remaining towns and cities, commercial diesel vehicles, including lorries, coaches and taxis could face bans and charges.

The proposals come not long after it was announced London had exceeded its annual pollution limit for 2017 just five days into the year.

The number of diesel cars liable for such charges could be as high as 10m. Only the newest vehicles may be excluded.

The measures are due to be unveiled next week by Andrea Leadsom, the environment secretary, according to The Sunday Times.

It will oblige councils in every affected area to draw up plans to deal with nitrous oxide and particulate pollution, which is largely caused by diesels.

Affected cities include Birmingham, Leeds, Southampton, Derby and Nottingham, which already have plans to impose taxes to older lorries, taxis and coaches as of 2019.

Under new proposals, this could be extended to private diesel cars.

A network of “clean air zones” will be set up, with councils mandated to impose bans or charges on polluting vehicles that enter them.

A senior Whitehall source said: “There will be different ways of proceeding for different authorities. This is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Some need a tweak, some need more rigid plans.”

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The move comes after Defra was taken to the High Court by environmental campaigners ClientEarth over its last air quality plan, which was published in 2015.

The court gave ministers until April 24 to publish the new air quality plan.

However, the FairFuel group attacked the government’s plans.

“Their myopic and out-of-touch dogma that taxing drivers more will solve the issue is tantamount to pre-kindergarten levels of intellect and stinks of incompetence,” it said.

“Why should hard-working drivers, families, White Van Man, small businesses, be held responsible for 90 per cent of the issue?”

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, will this week announce that from 2019 the most polluting vehicles will have to pay a £12.50 daily charge when entering greater London.

In February, the Royal Colleges of Physicians and of Paediatrics and Child Health said that air pollution is contributing to about 40,000 early deaths a year in the UK.