TfL opens consultation on changes to Congestion Charge discount for low carbon vehicles
Thu 31 January 2013
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Transport for London has announced proposals to make changes to the London Congestion Charge including the creation of a new Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED). To qualify for the discount vehicles will have to be either pure electric or be cars and vans that emit 75g/km (under 100g/km currently) or less of CO2 and meet the Euro 5 emission standard for air quality. The consultation is open until Friday 8 February.
The introduction of the proposed Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED) would take place in July 2013 and provide a single 100 per cent discount from the Congestion Charge for electric and ultra low emission cars and vans.
TfL says that the ULED would replace the current Greener Vehicle Discount (GVD) and the electric vehicle discount, and would ensure that only ultra low emission vehicles would be provided with a 100 per cent discount of the Congestion Charge.
While the ULED is technology neutral, no currently available diesel car would meet the criteria for the discount and TfL says that this is unlikely to change for the foreseeable future. Therefore, the proposed ULED will help tackle the increasing dieselisation of London's car fleet. Over the past decade diesel car sales have increased from around 10 per cent to 50 per cent, partly as a result of low carbon vehicle incentives. A Euro 4 diesel car emits about 22 times as much particulate matter as the equivalent petrol car.
Nick Fairholme, TfL’s Director for Congestion Charging, said: “We are pleased with the number of responses we have received to the consultation so far but I want to encourage as many people as possible to submit their views on these proposed changes. We do listen to our customers and have made significant changes to the scheme in recent years, including the removal of the Western Extension and the introduction of Congestion Charging (CC) Auto Pay, as a result of listening to these views.”
TfL proposes that the Greener and Electric Vehicle Discounts would be closed to new registrations on 28 June 2013.
Owners of vehicles already registered for the Greener Vehicle Discount would continue to receive the 100% discount for their car for a further two years, until 26 June 2015, and would not need to take any action to ensure this. However, if a vehicle owner sells the vehicle during this period, the new owner would not be eligible for the Greener Vehicle Discount.
Owners of vehicles currently registered for the Greener Vehicle Discount would have to pay the daily Congestion Charge from 29 June 2015.
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