£10 ‘Toxicity Charge’ for London’s most polluting cars

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has confirmed that his £10 toxic ‘T-Charge’, said to be the toughest vehicle emission standard of any world city, will start in central London on 23 October.

Up to 10,000 of the oldest, most polluting vehicles are expected every weekday to be potentially liable for the new emissions levy, which will apply to motorists who own vehicles that do not meet Euro 4 standards – typically those diesel and petrol vehicles registered before 2006. The T-charge (also known as the Emissions Surcharge) will operate on top of, and during the same operating times, as the Congestion Charge (Monday to Friday 7am–6pm), so it will cost £21.50 to drive a pre-Euro 4 vehicle in the zone.

The T-Charge will use a camera-based mechanism for enforcement, monitoring both diesel and petrol vehicles. To help motorists, the Mayor has launched a free online vehicle checker on the Transport for London website, so that drivers can check whether their vehicle will be affected by the T-Charge.

Air pollution in London is a public health crisis, with currently over 9,000 people dying prematurely each year as a result of long-term exposure to air pollution, according to the Mayor’s office. Sadiq Khan, said: ‘It’s staggering that we live in a city where the air is so toxic that many of our children are growing up with lung problems. If we don’t make drastic changes now we won’t be protecting the health of our families in the future. That is why today, on the 14th anniversary of the start of the congestion charge, I’ve confirmed we are pressing ahead with the toughest emission standard of any major city.’

The Mayor wants the government to act as well: ‘I will continue to do everything in my power to help protect the health of Londoners and clean our filthy air. But now is the time for government to show real leadership and join me by introducing a diesel scrappage fund and bring in the new Clean Air Act we desperately need.’