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| » Mayor´s plans will not cut congestion or CO2 |
AN extension to London Mayor Ken Livingstone’s consultation on proposed changes to the capital’s congestion charge has been called for by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The SMMT says that the current proposals will neither significantly cut CO2 nor reduce congestion in London and that, given the complexity of the scheme, more time is needed for discussion. The official consultation period ended on Friday (October 19). The Mayor wants to increase the £8 charge for high emission vehicles to £25 and make sub-120 g/km emission vehicles exempt from the scheme. The higher charge could be introduced within the next 12 months. Figures from Transport for London, which administers the scheme, suggest a CO2 saving of up to 8,100 tonnes under the plan to base central London charges on car CO2 emissions. That compares to total ground-based transport emissions in London of 9.7 million tonnes. In other words, the maximum benefit for the capital would be a CO2 reduction of just 0.084%, according to the SMMT. To put this in context, improvements at UK car and commercial vehicle manufacturing sites have cut CO2 from 2.14 to 1.36 million tonnes in four years, a saving of 36.5%. Average new car CO2 emissions have also come down by 12% in a decade, saving an estimated one million tonnes of CO2 each year in the UK. Concerns about environmental improvements come after an independent report suggested that changes could encourage between 4,000 and 10,000 additional cars onto central London roads, says the SMMT. That means more congestion and delays for drivers within the zone, as well as minimal benefit for the environment, if the plans proceed. SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan said: ‘The issues are complex and TfL must be absolutely clear about the scheme’s aims. Its execution must also deliver the greatest benefit both in terms of congestion and CO2 reduction and the charges to drivers must be proportionate.’ (SMMT: October 19). |
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