Extra charges for diesels

26 January 2015  

A London borough has announced plans for owners of diesel cars to pay extra to park outside their homes.

Islington Council’s intention is to charge £100 per year extra for residents as a ‘diesel tax’ which it hopes will encourage drivers to swap to greener petrol engines. However those using diesel-powered vehicles for their business will be exempt. The idea was approved in 2014 and will be introduced in April.

The move is not new, both Camden and Kensington & Chelsea already impose additional charges; Camden currently charge an extra £10.30 annually whilst Kensington & Chelsea charge an extra £18 per annum for ‘older’ diesel vehicles.  Hackney are planning a review of their parking permits whereby charges would be based on emissions instead of engine size, with the most polluting diesels being charged £50 per annum.

Diesel vehicles have borne the brunt of recent claims about poor air quality in the UK, with London particularly affected. Sales of cars using the fuel have increased rapidly with 50% of new cars registered last year having a diesel engine.

Council chiefs in Islington say that high levels of air pollution are a contributing factor in 74% of deaths in the borough.  Labour Councillor, Claudia Webbe, Islington’s executive member for transport and environment, comments: “Pollutants in diesel exhausts have been linked to heart and lung diseases, which are major causes of serious and long-term health issues and even death in Islington and the surcharge will encourage a move away from diesel.”