Ken squeezes gas guzzlers

London for Ken Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 05:09:34 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Ken Livingstone has now announced that from 27 October cars with the highest greenhouse gas emissions, such as some so-called ‘Chelsea tractors’, will pay a daily charge of £25 to drive in the central London Congestion Charge Zone. Ken’s announcement, was made at his weekly City Hall press conference, where he was joined by Tony Juniper from Friends of the Earth, who said that ‘Charging gas-guzzling vehicles more to drive in central London is extremely welcome and supported by most Londoners.’ Read more at Gas guzzlers - Ken gives the go-ahead for world leading scheme



According to the Guardian, Ken Livingstone is also setting out new plans for cycling in the coming week with confirmation of a Paris-style bike hire scheme and dedicated super-cycleways. Read more at Cycleways, SUVs and Heathrow-by-Sea

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Ken squeezes gas guzzlers | 10 comments (10 topical)

Re: Gas guzzlers (#1)

by NorthernMonkey on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 06:18:29 PM GMT

Good stuff as always from Ken.


Re: Gas guzzlers (#2)

by swatantra on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 12:46:15 AM GMT

This is the sort of tough action we need, not the namby pamby limp wrist stuff that Johnson spews out. Ban the Oyster card from ASB youth? Is that the best you can do Johnson?


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Re: Gas guzzlers (#3)

by lastword on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 09:47:59 AM GMT

Well done, Ken.  You will crush Johnson at the polls!


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Re: Gas guzzlers (#6)

by dickwishart on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 06:57:51 PM GMT

I do hope you are not naive enough to believe this is to help with so called global warming. Its another stealth tax/money raising scheme.
Not all people who drive so called gas guzzlers are wealthy, a lot of them are ordinary working people who prefer a large car but do very little mileage.


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Re: Gas guzzlers (#7)

by NorthernMonkey on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 03:12:20 AM GMT

It doesn't matter whether the owners of these gas-guzzlers are rich or poor, they're still over-polluting and making London's air quality poor which in turn leads to serious health problems for the local population.

And yes, it will help to tackle global warming - if every city in the world had a policy like this, our environment would be in a much better state.


Vote blue, go green? If your average Tory is anything to go by, that's a load of old cobblers.


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Re: Gas guzzlers (#9)

by Prbo on Mon Feb 18, 2008 at 04:05:50 PM GMT

And yes, it will help to tackle global warming

How?  These cars represent a small minority of vehicles.  And it doesn't account for the mileage of these cars.  It would charge the same for a car which drove one mile or fifty miles.  How is that proportionate and green?

And I thought the congestion charge was about congestion, not environmentalism? 

I don't think you can blame BMWs and Ferraris for London's air quality - do you have any evidence to back this up?


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Re: Gas guzzlers (#10)

by NorthernMonkey on Mon Feb 18, 2008 at 08:38:11 PM GMT

It will force people to buy cars that give out lower levels of CO2 emissions - of course that will help to tackle global warming.


The congestion charge was designed to tackle congestion, improve the environment and raise revenue for public transport benefits.

I never mentioned BMW's or Ferrari's so please don't create a straw man. However, since CO2 is part of the air pollution problem, it should be no surprise to you that cars which give out the most CO2 are creating the most air pollution. Banning such cars will help to reduce the air pollution problem and give Londoners cleaner air.


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Re: Ken squeezes gas guzzlers (#4)

by Curlew on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 10:00:58 AM GMT

Good!  But perhaps he might have given them more warning so they could change their cars.


Re: Ken squeezes gas guzzlers (#5)

by champagnesocialist on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 10:52:46 AM GMT

I dont think we should worry too much - if they have enough money to buy one these things and to be intent on driving it into central London they will have enough money to afford the congestion charge. The £25 cost is less than half a tank of petrol.


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Re: Ken squeezes gas guzzlers (#8)

by Dan Ashton on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 09:02:17 PM GMT

As someone in a rural area where buses are sub-standard and expensive, I really find it difficult to sympathise with people who oppose these congestion charge increases. London enjoys a fantastic and improving public transport network. People should use it!

Another example of Ken leading the field. 


Ken squeezes gas guzzlers | 10 comments (10 topical)