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| 'Gas guzzlers' face parking hike | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The cost of residents' parking permits could be linked to car emissions under plans being considered in one of the country's most affluent areas. | |
| A Lib Dem council in London wants owners of gas-guzzling vehicles to pay more to park outside their homes. | A Lib Dem council in London wants owners of gas-guzzling vehicles to pay more to park outside their homes. |
| Richmond residents with high-emission cars could pay £750 a year, compared with £200 now, but the greenest cars would be exempt. | Richmond residents with high-emission cars could pay £750 a year, compared with £200 now, but the greenest cars would be exempt. |
| The council hopes other authorities will be encouraged to follow its lead. | The council hopes other authorities will be encouraged to follow its lead. |
| "Climate change is the single greatest challenge facing the world today," said council leader Serge Lourie. | "Climate change is the single greatest challenge facing the world today," said council leader Serge Lourie. |
| "We can no longer bury our heads in the sand and pretend that it is not happening, or that dealing with it is up to somebody else. | "We can no longer bury our heads in the sand and pretend that it is not happening, or that dealing with it is up to somebody else. |
| "And Richmond upon Thames is one of the highest CO2-emitting boroughs in London. | "And Richmond upon Thames is one of the highest CO2-emitting boroughs in London. |
| "For too long, it has been seen as a problem that only central governments or international organisations could address. The truth is that we must all start acting now at local level." | "For too long, it has been seen as a problem that only central governments or international organisations could address. The truth is that we must all start acting now at local level." |
| Higher congestion charge | Higher congestion charge |
| If the plans are approved by the council's cabinet on November 6, the cost of parking the most polluting vehicles would rise from £100 to £300. | If the plans are approved by the council's cabinet on November 6, the cost of parking the most polluting vehicles would rise from £100 to £300. |
| Those with more than one car would have to pay 50% more for extra permits - thus a household owning two high-emissions cars could pay £300 for the first, and £450 for the second, or £750 in total. | Those with more than one car would have to pay 50% more for extra permits - thus a household owning two high-emissions cars could pay £300 for the first, and £450 for the second, or £750 in total. |
| We're very hopeful that other councils will follow suit. We are the first in the country to implement a change such as this. David Trigg, Richmond councillor | We're very hopeful that other councils will follow suit. We are the first in the country to implement a change such as this. David Trigg, Richmond councillor |
| Councillor David Trigg, Richmond Council cabinet member for traffic, transport and parking, said he hoped the initiative would be widely copied. | Councillor David Trigg, Richmond Council cabinet member for traffic, transport and parking, said he hoped the initiative would be widely copied. |
| "Rather than being just a space-orientated exercise, we are now targeting higher-emission vehicles for a higher charge. | "Rather than being just a space-orientated exercise, we are now targeting higher-emission vehicles for a higher charge. |
| "We're very hopeful that other councils will follow suit. We are the first in the country to implement a change such as this, and we would certainly hope that others do." | "We're very hopeful that other councils will follow suit. We are the first in the country to implement a change such as this, and we would certainly hope that others do." |
| Tony Bosworth, from Friends of the Earth, said the proposal was a "step in the right direction", but called on the government to increase road tax on gas-guzzlers. | Tony Bosworth, from Friends of the Earth, said the proposal was a "step in the right direction", but called on the government to increase road tax on gas-guzzlers. |
| "Encouraging people to buy fuel-efficient cars is a big part of the answer to climate change... but the real power here lies with the chancellor," he said. | "Encouraging people to buy fuel-efficient cars is a big part of the answer to climate change... but the real power here lies with the chancellor," he said. |
| But Mike Rutherford from the Motorists' Association pointed out that the measure would also affect families with larger saloon cars. | But Mike Rutherford from the Motorists' Association pointed out that the measure would also affect families with larger saloon cars. |
| He said the Richmond plan was a "money-making exercise" but acknowledged it may slowly help encourage people to buy different vehicles. | He said the Richmond plan was a "money-making exercise" but acknowledged it may slowly help encourage people to buy different vehicles. |
| Anyone trying to drive a high-emissions vehicle from Richmond into central London may also face an additional cost for the city's congestion charge. | Anyone trying to drive a high-emissions vehicle from Richmond into central London may also face an additional cost for the city's congestion charge. |
| In July, it emerged that the charge for drivers of such cars could rise to £25 - three times the current charge. | In July, it emerged that the charge for drivers of such cars could rise to £25 - three times the current charge. |
| London Mayor Ken Livingstone has said he wants a sliding scale, with lower charges for low-emission vehicles and higher charges for some urban 4x4 vehicles, dubbed "Chelsea tractors". | London Mayor Ken Livingstone has said he wants a sliding scale, with lower charges for low-emission vehicles and higher charges for some urban 4x4 vehicles, dubbed "Chelsea tractors". |
| Mr Livingstone said if his plans got wider backing, discounts could be in place by 2008, and higher charges by 2010. | Mr Livingstone said if his plans got wider backing, discounts could be in place by 2008, and higher charges by 2010. |
| National policies | National policies |
| Delegates at the Lib Dem conference in September approved plans to use new taxes on gas-guzzling cars and aviation to pay for income tax cuts. | Delegates at the Lib Dem conference in September approved plans to use new taxes on gas-guzzling cars and aviation to pay for income tax cuts. |
| Sir Menzies said he wanted to focus on "taxing pollution, not people". | Sir Menzies said he wanted to focus on "taxing pollution, not people". |
| The Tory leader David Cameron has also said he would offer incentives for green car use. | The Tory leader David Cameron has also said he would offer incentives for green car use. |
| And in the Budget, Chancellor Gordon Brown raised road taxes for the most polluting vehicles, with the worst offenders now attracting a vehicle excise duty of £210. | And in the Budget, Chancellor Gordon Brown raised road taxes for the most polluting vehicles, with the worst offenders now attracting a vehicle excise duty of £210. |