Reports have emerged that London Mayor, Boris Johnson, is pushing for a charge of up to £10 for diesel cars driving in the centre of London.
The charge will be additional to the existing £10 congestion charge, and part of Johnson's plans for an Ultra Low Emission Zone in the capital’s centre.
Petrol cars registered before 2006 will likely also face the charge, however diesel cars that meet Euro 6 emission standard will be exempt. Under this new standard, which replaces Euro 5 for all cars from 1 January 2015, there is a cap at 80 mg/km of nitrous oxide for new cars. Some Euro 6 standard cars currently available are the new BMW 2 series, whose diesel engine options all meet Euro 6 criteria, and some Mercedes models. As the standard will be mandatory for all new cars next year, however, makers such as Ford, Nissan, Kia etc. will have to comply.
It may come as a surprise that diesels have been targeted, but RAC Foundation director, Professor Stephen Glaister, explains: "Part of the problem is regulation. In laboratory conditions diesel cars have met strict test criteria. Unfortunately that performance hasn't been matched on the road and now we have a significant health issue because of the dash for diesel."
