New London parking surcharge for diesel drivers predicted to spread to rest of UK

[super jumbe]

Diesel car drivers have been dealt another blow as they face extra charges to park in central London under a pilot scheme which experts warn could "spread like wildfire".

As part of a crackdown on air pollution Westminster City Council will in April become the first town hall in Britain to impose a parking surcharge on "polluting" diesel cars.

The scheme will attempt to deter motorists to drive diesel cars into the area by forcing them to pay an extra 50 per cent in addition to the normal charge of ?4.90-an-hour to park their cars.

Although it will be deeply unpopular with many motorists, it is expected to be highly lucrative for the council, making it a potentially attractive policy for others to adopt.

It also comes ahead of London Mayor Sadiq Khan introducing a ?T-charge?, a toxicity levy, later this year, expected to be around ?10-a-day, for the most polluting vehicles, diesel and petrol, to drive into central London.

The combination of the surcharges could equate to a cost of around ?30 to drive to and park in Marylebone.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017...dicted-spread/