Motorists face parking charges for ultra-low emissions parking as the city council introduces new fines for drivers with older cars

DRIVERS face extremely low-emission parking fees – and local authorities are sneaking in new fines for drivers with older cars.

Draconian local authorities have introduced new environmental taxes that could double Britons’ parking costs.

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The new measures are intended to improve air quality, but will also mean that drivers of more polluting petrol and diesel vehicles will have to pay higher parking fees.

London boroughs that already have “emissions-based parking charges” include Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Croydon and Lambeth.

Electric cars, which emit no emissions, fall into Band A of the pricing structure and pay £120.21 a year for a parking permit in the Lambeth area, reports topgear.com.

But drivers of cars with CO2 emissions above 100g/km – which is the case for most petrol and diesel models – will pay more than £200.

In Greenwich, however, a Tesla driver only pays £2.45 per hour or £20 per year for a permit.

But the owner of an older van or car will have to pay £7 an hour, or a whopping £300 a year, for a permit.

Additionally, there is a £50 surcharge for diesel engines.

However, RAC spokesman Rod Dennis says he believes it is “inherently unfair” to charge drivers for parking based on their vehicle’s carbon dioxide emissions.

Speak with MailOnline He said: “Charging drivers of more polluting cars higher, even though the car is parked and not emitting anything, penalizes the very drivers who have the least financial means to switch to another vehicle.” On the other hand, people who can afford to switch to an electric vehicle pay significantly less.

“We would like to see the national government make a decision on whether local authorities should be allowed to set parking fees based on carbon emissions. The fact that local authorities are introducing very different tariffs depending on how they interpret emissions criteria is also a serious concern.”

Currently, around 4,000 motorists are issued ULEZ-related fines every day, with license plates read between 75 and 80 million times daily by Sadiq Khan’s surveillance camera network.

Drivers of non-compliant vehicles, which are generally pre-2005 petrol and diesel engines, must pay a daily fee of £12.50.

TfL may fine drivers if they do this fail The fee is £180 but drops to £90 if paid within two weeks.

In August, London’s Labor mayor extended the ULEZ to all 32 London boroughs, meaning a daily charge of £12.50 for anyone driving vehicles deemed too environmentally friendly.

Opponents say poorer families who can’t afford modern cars that meet stricter emissions standards will be harshly punished.

Tradesmen who require vans to transport supplies will face higher costs, which would potentially be passed on to customers. bills.

When launched in April 2019, ULEZ was initially limited to central London.

It was then expanded to all areas within North Circular and South Circular streets in October 2021, covering 3.8 million Londoners.

But now an additional 5 million people live in the zone.

TfL has claimed that nine out of 10 cars seen in Outer London on an average day are ULEZ compliant.