Most polluting cars pay more to park with emissions-based pricing
Other boroughs and cities expected to follow suit
The London borough of Lambeth is to introduce a new style of parking charges that will see those driving more polluting vehicles paying more.
The new system will be based on a car’s CO2 emissions, and will range from £6 to as much as £13 per hour of parking.
That’s in spite of a public consultation where 59 per cent of local residents objected to the plan. Lambeth council said that concerns over air pollution overrode those objections.
It should be noted that CO2 emissions contribute nothing to local air pollution, but they are proven to be a significant contributor to climate change and global temperature rises.
The 26 bands of parking charges for anyone looking to park in Lambeth will be decided on a combination of the vehicle’s VED (road tax) band and whether or not a diesel engine surcharge applies.
Pay-and-display meters are being replaced by smartphone apps, such as RingGo and PayByPhone, in which your vehicle’s registration number is entered, allowing the app to easily access its official CO2 emissions.
Lambeth might be the first, but it almost certainly won’t be alone for long.
PayByPhone also has a specific CO2-based app, called Emitless, which is being used by Lambeth as well as Kensington and Chelsea, and Lewisham councils.
Adam Dolphin, the managing director of PayByPhone UK told The Observer: “Outside London, many local authorities are looking at this as an option.”
It has been reported that Bath and North East Somerset, and St Albans councils are also looking at similar CO2-based parking charges.
In spite of that 59 per cent — out of 2,900 submissions to Lambeth council — objecting to the measures, Lambeth is also pushing through changes to the prices for residents’ parking permits.
Those are already on a CO2-based system, and the new set-up will see the highest annual charge increase from £340.73 to £500, with an extra £140 levy for any car not meeting the Euro6 emissions standards.
Rezina Chowdhury, the council’s cabinet member for sustainable Lambeth and clean air, said: “We were the first London borough to declare a climate emergency, and we have set a target to slash our carbon emissions to make Lambeth a net-zero borough by 2030.
“These changes will make our parking fees structure fairer and more reflective of the different levels of pollution produced by vehicles — and ensure those who pollute the most are charged the most to park.”
Many cities with ULEZs
These new CO2-based parking charges are the latest in a series of emissions-based taxation on cars. London already has the Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) covering most of the city, and which charges a daily rate of £12.50 for cars not meeting the Euro4 emissions standards (if they’re petrol models) or Euro6 (if they’re diesels). Heavy goods vehicles pay a whopping £100 per day to enter the Zone.
Birmingham has its own ULEZ, which charges £8 per day for non-compliant cars, while in Bristol it’s £9 per day. Oxford’s ULEZ charges between £2 and £10 per day for any non-electric private car, but it’s a small zone.
In Glasgow, the ULEZ uses the same Euro4 petrol and Euro6 diesel parameters, but doesn’t offer a daily charge — you simply cannot drive a non-compliant car into the city, and it’s a £60 fine if you do, with a maximum £480 penalty for multiple offences.
Bath, Bradford, Newcastle, Sheffield and Portsmouth also all have clean air zones, but these currently only apply to HGVs, buses and taxis. Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee have a ULEZ each, but the charges are not yet in place. Other cities — including Manchester — are considering their own ULEZ plans.
Related articles
- If you were interested in the new emissions-based parking charges coming to Lambeth, you may be interested in seven of the best ULEZ-compliant cars for under £10,000
- Paris has banned e-scooters, is London next?
- ULEZ checker: Is your car exempt from the Ultra Low Emission Zone?
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