Pay at the pump and pay to drive.

[Falker]

(02-12) 11:11 PST LONDON, United Kingdom (AP) --

Drivers of gas-guzzling cars will have to pay nearly $50 a day to enter central London, triple the current charge, while the most fuel efficient vehicles will get a free ride, the mayor said Tuesday.

Mayor Ken Livingstone, who introduced the daily congestion charge on trucks and cars entering central London in 2003 to cut traffic and pollution, said the change is primarily aimed at the big cars owned by people in wealthy parts of the capital. The mayor, who has the power to make the change without legislative approval, said it will go into effect on Oct. 27.

"The CO2 emissions from the most high-powered 4x4s and sports cars can be up to four times as great as the least polluting cars," he said. Livingstone said that 17 percent of the cars that visit central London each day — or about 33,000 — will pay the $49 charge, while 2 percent will go free. The remaining 81 percent — and trucks — will continue to pay the current $16 fee.

London's congestion charge is widely credited with reducing traffic and changing commuting patterns for the better in the capital. Officials from other large cities around the world have studied the plan or discussed imitating it.

Last month, New York State's traffic commission voted to recommend that New York City charge drivers an $8 daily fee to bring their cars into Manhattan below 60th Street. That still would require the approval the State Legislature.

On Tuesday, groups such as Greenpeace praised Livingstone's changes.
But Phil Popham, the managing director of Land Rover, said: "We believe it will have immediate costs for our business, but doubtful benefits from an environmental perspective."

[Falker]

I see this happening to America soon enough. The government is tightening down in a lot of aspects here in California. Even in my own city.

[Buffalo Six]

get out while you can.......escape now!

[VEGETA]

***Veg is in a boat crossing back to Canada***

[PanzerMeyer]

***Veg is in a boat crossing back to Canada***

Why would it be better in Canada than the US when this issue is concerned? As for California, I'm glad I dont live there.

[Mooseman]

We actually pay three times - at the pump for petrol, we have to pay road tax, ostensibly for road maintenance, but also banded depending on emissions, and now we have to pay to get into places.

For London, you can always register your vehicle as a taxi (£80 p/a) and not pay the congestion charge. Noted British motoring journalist Jeremy Clarkson has done so with his Lamborghini Gallardo Spider

[PanzerMeyer]

For London, you can always register your vehicle as a taxi (£80 p/a) and not pay the congestion charge. Noted British motoring journalist Jeremy Clarkson has done so with his Lamborghini Gallardo Spider

That seems to be too easy of a loophole for people to exploit. There has to be more to it than that when registering a vehicle as a taxi.

In the US we also pay a tax which ostensibly goes towards highway maintenance and repair. It's a Federal excise tax that you pay per gallon of gas when you fill up.

[Mooseman]

think it's more a fact that ppl didn't really know about it, until he mentioned it on his programme...allegedly in London there are 3 Merc SLR's, a couple of Ferrari Enzo's etc that are already registered as cabss.

On the taxation, in the UK, as i said we pay road tax (road maintenance) which requires the display of a tax disc on your windshield. We also pay a tax on fuel - currently it's roughly £1.05 per litre, 85% of which is tax.