London cracks down on high emission vehicles

As of 23rd of October Mayor Sadiq Khan has introduced a new toll for drivers who’re using high emission vehicles in the centre of London. The crackdown has come into place since the continued rise of pollution in London has hit new highs.

The proposals, known as the T-Charge will be charged on top of the Congestion Charge meaning that drivers who’re driving these older vehicles will now have to pay £21.50 a day to drive through London, £11.50 for the Congestion Charge and £10 for the new T-Charge. This will be between the hours of 7am – 6pm every day.

The launch of the T-Charge is more of a preparation for the early introduction of the proposal Ultra-Low Emission Zone which could be launched as early as 2019 where we could see areas that only allow low emission / electric vehicles on the roads.

Mayor Sadiq Khan had the following to say about the new proposal

“As Mayor I am determined to take urgent action to help clean up London's lethal air. The shameful scale of the public health crisis London faces, with thousands of premature deaths caused by air pollution, must be addressed.

“Today marks a major milestone in this journey with the introduction of the T-Charge to encourage motorists to ditch polluting, harmful vehicles.

“London now has the world's toughest emission standard with older more polluting vehicles paying up to £21.50 a day to drive in the centre of the city. The T-charge is a stepping stone to the Ultra-Low Emission Zone, which could be introduced as early as 2019.

“This is the time to stand up and join the battle to clear the toxic air we are forced to breathe.”

Is my vehicle eligible for the new charge?

If your car is more than 12 years old, you can probably say that it is eligible for the new charge and you will need to pay it. However, the Transport of London has suggested that any vehicles that have been registered before 2008 should check.

You can check if your vehicle is eligible by using the Transport of London’s online licence plate checker.