Khan explores extra air pollution plans

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has asked Transport for London what he can "reasonably" do in order to encourage Londoners to move away from driving and instead walk, cycle or use public transport.

Mr Khan said he was exploring four different options, the most appropriate of which he would like to implement before the end of his term as Mayor of London in 2024 in order to slash car traffic in the capital and also to help realise his target of making London carbon net-zero by 2030.

The four options he has been looking at are:

• expanding the ultra-low emissions zone to all 32 London boroughs;
• introducing a clean air charge for all drivers except those driving the cleanest vehicles;
• a combination of the two options above;
• a Greater London boundary charge, whereby those entering the capital in a vehicle registered outside of London would be charged.

These fees and existing charging schemes could potentially be replaced by road pricing, where drivers pay per mile, with pricing depending on matters such as the vehicle being driven, time of day, where the person lives in London and reasonable alternative modes of transport are available to them. However the technology required to implement this is not likely to be available for some time.

Mr Khan said that to tackle air pollution and traffic in London, then work needs to begin in this Mayoral term. Transport for London will be conducting studies and consultations to find out which approach might be best to take in London.