The new T-charge for older and more polluting vehicles in London begins today. This is a step by London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan to improve the air quality in London.
The charge will see owners of polluting cars pay a £10 tax when entering London. The tax applies to both petrol and diesel vehicles, and more specifically, those registered before the Euro IV exhaust standard; established in 2006.
Currently, there is an £11.50 congestion charge for vehicles driven in a congestion zone between 7:00 and 18:00 - Monday to Friday. Since the T-charge covers the same areas as the congestion zone, the total fee for those operating in a congestion zone will be £21.50.
TfL is set to make £65,000 a day from the new charge, which will be charged on weekdays only.
According to the BBC, Mr. Khan, said: “London's air is a killer and is linked to asthma, strokes, heart disease and dementia.
“I refuse to be a mayor who ignores this and I am determined to take effective action to reduce the harm it does to Londoners.”
On the other hand, Shaun Bailey, conservative environment spokesperson at the London Assembly said the charge would penalize London’s poorest drivers and put jobs at risk.
Sue Terpilowski, from the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “The introduction of the T-charge, comes at a time when small and micro-businesses in London are already facing astonishingly high property, employment and logistics costs and there is a fear that this will be the final straw that closes businesses and takes jobs.”
The charge is part of a series of efforts by the Mayor aimed at reducing pollution in London. An Ultra Low Emissions Zone is set to be established in 2019.
