Extra Charges in Capital, says Boris
Boris Johnson has announced plans for pre-Euro-6 diesel cars and vans to pay an extra £10 for entry to the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) in London by 2020.
While heavy commercial vehicles will need to comply with Euro-6 regulations to enter the ULEZ, it is not yet clear what charges may be imposed for this sector.
With Euro-6 regulation already upon the HCV industry, many heavy fleet operators have gone some way to help improve air quality in cities.
Transport for London’s bus fleet has seen an 85-fold reduction in NOx emissions on the London bus cycle among its Euro-6 vehicles; a prime example of the progress being made by manufacturers and operators.
Mr Johnson said: “While we recognise the increase may not be widely welcomed, it is vital to maintain the effectiveness of the scheme.
“The increase will ensure the charge remains an effective deterrent to all but the most essential journeys into the centre of London.
“It will also contribute an additional income of £82.7m over the course of the next five years, which will be reinvested into London’s transport network – including modernising London’s roads infrastructure.”
A range of changes to the Congestion Charge are being introduced in late 2015 that will provide benefits to customers including:
- CC Auto Pay users will be able to pay by direct debit (currently only credit or debit cards can be used)
- “Customers eligible for discounts, including Blue Badge holders, will be able to apply for these discounts online from 2015 when Capita takes over Congestion Charge services
