London Congestion Charge proposals scrapped

The long talked-about changes to the London Congestion Charge have been scrapped by new Mayor Boris Johnson.

The proposals, due to come into effect in October this year, would have meant that all cars emitting 120g/km CO2 or less would have been exempt from the Capital’s Congestion Charge. It would have also meant that the highest emission cars would have had to pay £25 per day – this idea has also been canned by Boris.

Whilst this would have encouraged lower emission vehicles in London, it would also have been likely that the city’s streets would have been clogged up with lots of sub-120g/km cars.

Many Londoners are likely to have already invested in low emission cars in advance of the proposed October changes. Manufacturers with sub-120g/km offerings are also likely to be disappointed.

One manufacturer who will be delighted with Boris will be Porsche, who had applied for a judicial review of Ken Livingstone’s proposals.

Boris had always attacked the plans - by claiming many of the cars affected would be ordinary large family cars.

Electric cars will remain exempt, along with alternative-fuelled vehicles such as hybrids.