► Westminster council clamps down on derv
► Diesels to pay extra to park from April 2017
► 50% levy will apply to diesel cars
The London council of Westminster is to introduce a diesel surcharge meaning owners of diesel cars will pay more to park.
The new levy – London’s first – will be applied from 3 April 2017, piling more pressure on drivers choosing to fill up at the black pump…
How will Westminster council charge diesel drivers more?
Number plate recognition will identify oil-burning vehicles and when they pay to park, either at roadside ticket machines or via smartphones, the registration plate will trigger the surcharge.
The council plans to charge 50% more for vehicles parking in and around Marylebone.
That’s an extra £2.45 an hour for a maximum of four hours.
Why the clampdown on derv?
It’s all to do with local air quality: the flipside of diesel engines’ superior CO2 and fuel consumption is higher emissions of particulate matter (soot, which is potentially carcinogenic) and oxides of nitrogen.
CAR’s view? It reflects the ever-tightening pressures on diesel cars. We suspect many owners enticed by sky-high mpg claims and low company car and VED tax bills may be thinking twice come trade-in time…
Click here for more background on the VW Dieselgate emissions scandal