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| 'Gas guzzlers' face parking hike | 'Gas guzzlers' face parking hike |
| (40 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. | 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 upon Thames residents with high-emission cars could pay £750 a year, compared with £200 now, but the greenest cars would be exempt. | Richmond upon Thames 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. |
| Richmond's plan follows national and local schemes targeting emissions and congestion. | Richmond's plan follows national and local schemes targeting emissions and congestion. |
| SEE THE PROPOSALS Proposed parking charge changes in Richmond [1.3MB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here | |
| It proposes a sliding scale of charges for parking permits based on the government's car tax bands. | It proposes a sliding scale of charges for parking permits based on the government's car tax bands. |
| Owners of 4x4s and high performance sports cars would pay higher parking permit rates than those with electric, hybrid and some diesel vehicles. | Owners of 4x4s and high performance sports cars would pay higher parking permit rates than those with electric, hybrid and some diesel vehicles. |
| Band A, which would be free, would consist of electric cars, while vehicles covered under band G would include petrol 4x4s, the Jaguar X-type and the Renault Espace people carrier. | Band A, which would be free, would consist of electric cars, while vehicles covered under band G would include petrol 4x4s, the Jaguar X-type and the Renault Espace people carrier. |
| "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. |
| The truth is that we must all start acting now at local level Serge Lourie, Richmond Council leader Most brands 'failing on CO2' What would road pricing cost | |
| "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. | "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." | "The truth is that we must all start acting now at local level." |
| 'Right direction' | 'Right direction' |
| 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. |
| And 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. | And 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 |
| Richmond, which would consult with residents and local businesses in the coming months, hope to be able to implement the scheme by the New Year. | Richmond, which would consult with residents and local businesses in the coming months, hope to be able to implement the scheme by the New Year. |
| 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. |
| "We're very hopeful that other councils will follow suit," he told the BBC. | "We're very hopeful that other councils will follow suit," he told the BBC. |
| "We are the first in the country to implement a change such as this, and we would certainly hope that others do." | "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 appeared to be a "money-making exercise" but acknowledged it may slowly help encourage people to buy different vehicles. | He said the Richmond plan appeared to be a "money-making exercise" but acknowledged it may slowly help encourage people to buy different vehicles. |
| A council spokesman, however, stressed the plan was "an exercise in cutting down on CO2 emissions". | A council spokesman, however, stressed the plan was "an exercise in cutting down on CO2 emissions". |
| National policies | National policies |
| Road charging is the government's radical proposal to cut traffic levels and tolls and congestion charging are being considered in many areas. | Road charging is the government's radical proposal to cut traffic levels and tolls and congestion charging are being considered in many areas. |
| Anyone trying to drive a high-emissions vehicle from Richmond into central London could also face an additional cost for the city's congestion charge in the coming years. | Anyone trying to drive a high-emissions vehicle from Richmond into central London could also face an additional cost for the city's congestion charge in the coming years. |
| In July, it emerged that the charge for drivers of such cars could rise to £25 in 2010 - three times the current charge. | In July, it emerged that the charge for drivers of such cars could rise to £25 in 2010 - 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". |
| Delegates at the Lib Dem conference in September, meanwhile, 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, meanwhile, 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. |