America needs to do the same. Sadly, they wont.

London plans to punish gas-guzzling vehicles


Thursday, February 14, 2008 at 07:37 EST
LONDON — London Mayor Ken Livingstone on Wednesday announced a stinging new charge on driving gas-guzzling vehicles into the centre of the capital, in a bid to cut pollution.

People with the most polluting cars, such as sports utility vehicles and high-powered performance cars, will pay a daily charge of 25 pounds to drive into central London.

Most drivers will continue paying the regular eight-pound charge, a measure introduced by Livingstone five years ago in a move to cut traffic congestion that has been watched closely by other major cities including New York.
However, those with the lowest carbon dioxide-emitting vehicles will become exempt under the new plan, Livingstone told reporters.
It is the latest radical scheme targeting London's traffic pollution and congestion problems.
The mayor will introduce the charge on Oct 27, providing he gets re-elected in May for a third four-year term.
"I believe this ground-breaking initiative will have an impact throughout the world with other cities following suit as they step up their efforts to halt the slide toward catastrophic climate change," he said.
"I think the scheme will start a cultural revolution whereby drivers in every city in Britain start to think about the impact on the environment of their choice of car and how they plan their journeys."
Livingstone hopes the initiative will raise 30 to 50 million pounds per year, which will largely be invested in cycling schemes.
The mayor has long demonised off-road vehicles, dubbing them "Chelsea tractors" after the plush west London district where they are a popular status symbol.
He professed every sympathy with Scottish hillfarmers who needed them but said it was ludicrous to plow one through London's city streets.
Of the cars currently driving in the congestion charge zone, 17% would be liable for the 25-pound charge, while two percent would not have to pay anything, Livingstone said.
He called it was the world's most ambitious scheme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from urban traffic.
"The carbon dioxide charge will encourage people to switch to cleaner vehicles and ensure that those who choose to carry on driving the most polluting vehicles help pay for the environmental damage they cause," he said.
Vehicles emitting up to 120 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer will be exempt from the congestion charge.
Vehicles emitting more than 225 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer, as well as those registered before March 2001 with engines larger than 3,000cc, will pay 25 pounds per day.
The standard eight-pound charge applies to all other vehicles.
"Nobody in their right mind drives into central London unless they really have to," Livingstone added.
Environmentalists welcomed the move, while businesses groups feared congestion could increase if low emissions car drivers flock back to the capital.
Livingstone introduced the congestion charge in February 2003. London is the biggest conurbation in the world to charge such a toll and city chiefs from around the globe have considered copying the idea.
The U.S. embassy is unhappy about the congestion charge, in force from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Diplomats, citing tax exemptions, refuse to pay it and have racked up more than one million pounds in unpaid bills.
Earlier this month, London introduced Britain's first low emission zone in a bid to cut air pollution, whereby drivers of high-polluting trucks must pay 200 pounds a day to enter the metropolis.
Manchester, Britain's third city, plans to introduce road pricing by 2012, although Edinburgh residents voted overwhelmingly against a scheme in 2005.

amazing.

well at least some ones on the right track. Yes the US needs to adopt something like that in the large, congested cities, but people are too attached to their gas guzzling bling bling mobiles.

I wonder what the average SUV citizens would say if a plan like this was mentioned in the US?

Wow, that's fantastic. Wish we'd do some such thing. Maybe keying high-emissions vehicles could become mandatory?

Unfortunately, I'm sure that even if the US did impose a tax on high-emissions vehicles, the money would go to something totally unrelated--nat. defense, or some such thing. Brings to mind that video a while back from CSPAN of that Republican congressman deriding a Democrat's idea that riding bicycles could POSSIBLY reduce CO2 emissions.

Ive got a pretty good idea...

phila/new york needs to do that to jersey.

lols.. "jersey tractors."

There's always NYC:
https://www.bikeforums.net/northeast/384179-nyc-congestion-pricing-s-coming.html

Yeah thats a step but way too weak IMO.

maybe after Lance converts Austin, the rest of the US will follow...

(not holding breath)

25 pounds!? That's over $50!

That's amazing. One small reason I think you don't see these kind of pushes in the states is because most cities here are young enough to be built around cars, so the congestion issue won't be a catalyst for this kind of policy.

WHOOPs..i put in too much.

If i may reiterate....YAY LONDON!!

BTW Google: (as of today)

25 British pounds = 49.0125 U.S. dollars

numbers are hard

I'm a financial analyst. Don't feel bad.

do you have a link to the article?

Come on, deathhare, we're doing our part right? There was an article in the news yesterday saying that the days of gas guzzling cars might be limited! Isn't that really proactive and ecofriendly? By 2020 or so. It's not like we'll sustain any more damage until then, right?

i'm sure people love their gas guzzling SUVs in england too and are crying about it. in my opinion, something like this will never happen here in the states because of the interest groups and oil companies who want people to be able to drive their SUVs everywhere, especially in the city where they will be stuck in stop and go traffic for hours and need to refill often.

i think there is something like this in Munich as well, except instead of paying, the cars are simply not allowed into city center.. ill have to find the article..

I hate how Americans even feel entitled when they are not even in the US.

That is shameful.

I got it here https://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/427951

It gets better:

https://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/...0.html?aff=rss

Good for them, but America won't buy it.

Not to mention: 20 MPH speed limit? Sounds kind of silly. There should be a 'cruiser' lane, and a 'rager' lane. No reason to have everyone going grandma speeds.