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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Mayor quashes £25 C-charge hike | Mayor quashes £25 C-charge hike |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| London Mayor Boris Johnson has quashed the proposed rise in congestion charge for vehicles deemed the most polluting. | London Mayor Boris Johnson has quashed the proposed rise in congestion charge for vehicles deemed the most polluting. |
| Former mayor Ken Livingstone planned to raise the daily levy from £8 to £25 from October, prompting car maker Porsche to bring a legal challenge. | Former mayor Ken Livingstone planned to raise the daily levy from £8 to £25 from October, prompting car maker Porsche to bring a legal challenge. |
| Mr Johnson pledged in his election manifesto to scrap the £25 charge and said the move would save legal costs. | Mr Johnson pledged in his election manifesto to scrap the £25 charge and said the move would save legal costs. |
| The mayor has also scrapped a proposal to allow some low emission cars free entry to the congestion charge zone. | The mayor has also scrapped a proposal to allow some low emission cars free entry to the congestion charge zone. |
| Mr Livingstone said ditching the charge was a "further blow" to tackling climate change. | Mr Livingstone said ditching the charge was a "further blow" to tackling climate change. |
| £10m saved | £10m saved |
| Under Mr Livingstone's plans cars emitting high carbon dioxide (CO2) would have paid £25 to enter the zone whereas cars with the lowest emissions were to get a 100% discount on the charge. | Under Mr Livingstone's plans cars emitting high carbon dioxide (CO2) would have paid £25 to enter the zone whereas cars with the lowest emissions were to get a 100% discount on the charge. |
| Following the proposals in February, a study said the plan may encourage smaller vehicles to enter the zone, increasing congestion and pollution. | Following the proposals in February, a study said the plan may encourage smaller vehicles to enter the zone, increasing congestion and pollution. |
| The former mayor said scrapping the plan was a "blow" to climate change | |
| Mr Johnson said abandoning the proposal would save Transport for London (TfL) £10m earmarked for the scheme. | Mr Johnson said abandoning the proposal would save Transport for London (TfL) £10m earmarked for the scheme. |
| He said his decision was in keeping with his aim to achieve a "fairer and more effective" congestion charge. | He said his decision was in keeping with his aim to achieve a "fairer and more effective" congestion charge. |
| "I am delighted that we have been able to scrap the £25 charge, which would have hit families and small businesses hardest. | "I am delighted that we have been able to scrap the £25 charge, which would have hit families and small businesses hardest. |
| "I believe the proposal would actually have made congestion worse by allowing thousands of small cars in for free," he said. | "I believe the proposal would actually have made congestion worse by allowing thousands of small cars in for free," he said. |
| Andy Goss, managing director of Porsche Cars Great Britain, said: "We were always confident that our legal case was right and that we would win in the end. | Andy Goss, managing director of Porsche Cars Great Britain, said: "We were always confident that our legal case was right and that we would win in the end. |
| The London mayor has put the interest of the few above the needs of the planet Green Party's Jenny Jones | The London mayor has put the interest of the few above the needs of the planet Green Party's Jenny Jones |
| "The charge was clearly unfair and was actually going to increase emissions in London." | |
| TfL has been ordered by the High Court to pay Porsche's legal costs with money being donated to the youth charity Skidz. | TfL has been ordered by the High Court to pay Porsche's legal costs with money being donated to the youth charity Skidz. |
| A spokeswoman for the RAC Foundation said: "When the charge was brought in it was to tackle congestion and not pollution. | A spokeswoman for the RAC Foundation said: "When the charge was brought in it was to tackle congestion and not pollution. |
| "So we welcome the fact the £25 charge has been cancelled and that the scheme has gone back to its original purpose of tackling traffic." | "So we welcome the fact the £25 charge has been cancelled and that the scheme has gone back to its original purpose of tackling traffic." |
| The mayor pledged the move as part of his election manifesto | |
| Baroness Jo Valentine, chief executive of business group London First, said: "Thank goodness Boris has made TfL see sense on this one. | Baroness Jo Valentine, chief executive of business group London First, said: "Thank goodness Boris has made TfL see sense on this one. |
| But Mr Livingstone said the decision was "a further blow to London as a ground-breaking city to tackle climate change and improve the environment". | But Mr Livingstone said the decision was "a further blow to London as a ground-breaking city to tackle climate change and improve the environment". |
| He added that rather than saving money "London will lose £30-£60m expected annual revenue from the scheme". | He added that rather than saving money "London will lose £30-£60m expected annual revenue from the scheme". |
| And Jenny Jones, from London's Green Party, said: "The London mayor has put the interest of the few above the needs of the planet. | And Jenny Jones, from London's Green Party, said: "The London mayor has put the interest of the few above the needs of the planet. |
| "We know that green taxes work. Last year, Londoners bought more low emission cars than gas guzzlers for the first time ever." | "We know that green taxes work. Last year, Londoners bought more low emission cars than gas guzzlers for the first time ever." |