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Minicabs including Uber to pay London congestion charge | Minicabs including Uber to pay London congestion charge |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Private hire vehicles, including Uber and minicabs, will have to pay the Transport for London (TfL) congestion charge. | Private hire vehicles, including Uber and minicabs, will have to pay the Transport for London (TfL) congestion charge. |
Under new plans that will come into force from 8 April, they will no longer be exempt from the daily £11.50 rate for driving in central London. | |
TfL said the proposals would help improve the capital's air quality. | |
The Independent Workers Union (IWGB) said the move would "hit workers on poverty wages". | |
In the first phase, only zero-emission vehicles will still be exempt from paying the congestion charge - which was introduced in 2003. | In the first phase, only zero-emission vehicles will still be exempt from paying the congestion charge - which was introduced in 2003. |
TfL said since the charge began 15 years ago, the number of vehicles entering central London each day has decreased by about 30%. | TfL said since the charge began 15 years ago, the number of vehicles entering central London each day has decreased by about 30%. |
The announcement follows a consultation which TfL said received 10,000 responses. | The announcement follows a consultation which TfL said received 10,000 responses. |
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said "toxic air pollution" in the capital was creating "a major public health crisis". | Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said "toxic air pollution" in the capital was creating "a major public health crisis". |
"We have to make tough decisions to protect the health and wellbeing of Londoners and tackle harmful emissions from the most polluting vehicles. | "We have to make tough decisions to protect the health and wellbeing of Londoners and tackle harmful emissions from the most polluting vehicles. |
"Now we need private hire vehicles and taxis to play their part and help us clean up our filthy air responses." | "Now we need private hire vehicles and taxis to play their part and help us clean up our filthy air responses." |
The IWGB said the plan would hit poorly paid workers while "doing little to address London's air pollution problem". | |
Abdura Razzak Hadi, chair of a branch of the IWGB's London committee, accused the mayor of "putting the vested interests of global mega-corporations and wealthy London consumers ahead of precarious workers suffering sweatshop conditions". | |
The London Assembly has also called for the mayor to rethink his plans, calling it a "cynical move" to "raise some of the money he needs to rescue TfL from its dire financial straits". | |
"This policy would fail significantly to reduce congestion. The mayor's own figures show that the number of PHVs in the Congestion Charge Zone would fall by only 600 a day, or 1%," chairman Tony Arbour said. | |
TfL said it would also consult on proposals to reduce the taxi age limit for the dirtiest vehicles to 12 years by 2022. | |
The age limit for Euro 6, LPG and ZEC taxi vehicles is proposed to remain at 15 years. | The age limit for Euro 6, LPG and ZEC taxi vehicles is proposed to remain at 15 years. |
Analysis | Analysis |
By Tom Edwards, BBC London transport correspondent | By Tom Edwards, BBC London transport correspondent |
Broadly what we are seeing here is regulation catching up with the disrupters. | Broadly what we are seeing here is regulation catching up with the disrupters. |
According to the mayor, the rise of hailing apps like Uber has led to a huge increase in private hire vehicles driving round waiting for work. | According to the mayor, the rise of hailing apps like Uber has led to a huge increase in private hire vehicles driving round waiting for work. |
Now Sadiq Khan has taken action and will make them pay the congestion charge. | Now Sadiq Khan has taken action and will make them pay the congestion charge. |
Concerns come from the GMB (union) that this will close minicab offices and cost jobs - the increase could also be passed on to customers. | Concerns come from the GMB (union) that this will close minicab offices and cost jobs - the increase could also be passed on to customers. |
The black cab trade will also not be happy that the age limit is being reduced. They will fear a huge amount of equity is going to be wiped off the value of their cabs. | The black cab trade will also not be happy that the age limit is being reduced. They will fear a huge amount of equity is going to be wiped off the value of their cabs. |
But the message from City Hall is clear - first and foremost Londoners want cleaner air and do not want polluting vehicles in their city. | But the message from City Hall is clear - first and foremost Londoners want cleaner air and do not want polluting vehicles in their city. |