Editing London congestion charge (section)

=== Proposed CO<sub>2</sub> emissions based charging ===

In 2006 mayor [[Ken Livingstone]] proposed variable charges based on CO<sub>2</sub> emission rate [[Vehicle Excise Duty]] bands.<ref>{{cite web |title=CO2 charging |author=Transport for London |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/7394.aspx | access-date=6 April 2008|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080403045509/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/7394.aspx |archive-date=3 April 2008}}</ref> Charges would be reduced or eliminated for ''Band A'' vehicles, but would be increase it to up to £25 a day for the most polluting ''Band G'' vehicles.<ref>{{cite web |title=CO2 Charge and CO2 Discount: February 2008 |publisher=Mayor of London |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/congest/index.jsp |access-date=22 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017034518/http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/congest/index.jsp |archive-date=17 October 2007}}</ref> Consultation on these proposals began in August 2007<ref>{{cite news |work=BBC News |title=Polluting cars C-charge discussed |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6936470.stm |date=10 August 2007 |access-date=25 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422172744/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/6936470.stm |archive-date=22 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> and ended on 19 October 2007.<ref name=warnpollution>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7050605.stm |title=Warning over pollution c-charge |work=BBC News |date=18 October 2007 |access-date=25 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422172918/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7050605.stm |archive-date=22 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> On 12 February 2008 TfL announced that they would introduce a new charging structure for vehicles entering the congestion zone, based on potential CO<sub>2</sub> emission rates on 27 October 2008 following the imminent mayoral elections.<ref name="tfl_co2">{{cite web |title=Consultation begins today on Emissions Related Congestion Charging |publisher= [[Transport for London]] |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/static/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/5715.html |access-date=29 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816190121/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/static/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/5715.html |archive-date=16 August 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |title=Congestion Charging: CO2 Charge and CO2 Discount: February 2008
 |publisher=Mayor of London
 |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/congest/co2charge-08feb.jsp
 |access-date=22 February 2008
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080228134653/http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/congest/co2charge-08feb.jsp| archive-date = 28 February 2008}}</ref> The main change would be the introduction of two new fees:
* £25 per day (with no residents' discount) for ''cars'' which, if first registered on or after 1 March 2001 are rated in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) "Band G" (emitting above 225g/km of CO<sub>2</sub>), or if first registered before 1 March 2001 have an engine capacity of greater than 3000 cc and for ''pickups'' with two rows of seats which either are rated as emitting above 225g/km of CO<sub>2</sub> or which have an engine capacity of greater than 3000 cc.<ref name="tfl_co2"/> In Alistair Darling's 2008 budget it was announced that VED Band G would be lowered to 151g/km of CO<sub>2</sub>. TfL had not clarified whether the £25 daily charge would be linked to the band until the point became moot as the scheme was cancelled.
* £0 per day (a 100% discount) for cars that either are rated as emitting less than 100g/km CO<sub>2</sub> and which meet the [[Euro 5]] air pollution emissions standard or which are rated as emitting no more than 120g/km CO<sub>2</sub> and which appear on the PowerShift register.<ref name="tfl_co2"/>

According to a report commissioned by [[Land Rover]], the scheme would increase traffic delays and air pollution.<ref name=warnpollution/><ref>{{cite news |title=New C-Charge zone 'will raise traffic and pollution' |date=18 October 2007 |work=London Evening Standard |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/new-ccharge-zone-will-raise-traffic-and-pollution-6677699.html |access-date=3 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429045114/http://www.standard.co.uk/news/new-ccharge-zone-will-raise-traffic-and-pollution-6677699.html |archive-date=29 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Porsche]] announced they intended to request a judicial review,<ref>{{cite news |title=Porsche challenges C-charge rise |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7252092.stm |date=19 February 2008 |access-date=6 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422173257/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7252092.stm |archive-date=22 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> claiming that the new charges were disproportionate and would make no "meaningful difference" to the environment.<ref>{{cite web |title=Porsche Judicial Review |publisher=Porsche |url=http://www.porschejudicialreview.co.uk/our_case.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103152929/http://www.porschejudicialreview.co.uk/our_case.htm |archive-date=3 January 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Acting director of the [[RAC Foundation|RAC]] Sheila Raingner commented that "The congestion charge was originally developed to reduce congestion and that the changes would confuse the public and reduce support and trust for future initiatives."<ref>{{cite news |title= 'Gas guzzlers' C-charge up to £25 |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7240309.stm |date=12 February 2008 |access-date=6 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422174452/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7240309.stm |archive-date=22 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

At the request of Porsche, [[King's College London|King's College]] released the full report of the possible effects of the new system that was originally commissioned by [[Transport for London]] which indicated that the proposed new system would reduce CO<sub>2</sub> emissions in central London by 2,200 tonnes by 2012, but would increase CO<sub>2</sub> emissions by 182,000 tonnes in outer London, due to drivers of more polluting vehicles avoiding congestion charge zones. A spokesman [[Transport for London]] stated that the methodology used by [[King's College London|King's]] was "less robust and accurate than TfL's methodology" and that their findings suggested reductions of up to 5,000 tonnes of CO<sub>2</sub> by 2009. They claimed that [[King's College London|King's College]] agreed with these results and were making revisions to their report.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7338606.stm |title=C-charge hike 'will increase CO2' |work=BBC News |date=9 April 2008 |access-date=22 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422174737/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7338606.stm |archive-date=22 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/04/10/cncharge110.xml |title=Row over Congestion Charge pollution claims |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=UK |date=10 April 2008 |access-date=12 December 2010 |first=Roland |last=Gribben |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501211642/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fmoney%2F2008%2F04%2F10%2Fcncharge110.xml |archive-date=1 May 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>