London to charge diesels more for parking

Europe's backlash against diesel-powered vehicles continues, following a London council announcement it will increase parking charges for diesels by 50 per cent.

The move, introduced by Westminster council, has been designed to deter diesel cars from entering the city and will see drivers pay an extra $4 per hour on top of the standard rate charge of $8 per hour.

Other London boroughs are reportedly considering similar parking rates for diesels, after evaluating Westminster’s scheme, which was introduced as part of a pilot program.

Claimed to have been introduced in response to residents' concerns over air quality, the scheme is anticipated to reduce Westminster's airborne pollution, which is among the highest concentrations in the British capital.

“Residents and visitors tell us all the time that air quality is a key concern in central London and we have consulted with our partners and local stakeholders on this practical step in improving our health and wellbeing", said Westminster councillor David Harvey.

Harvey hopes in the future people will "invest in cleaner transport" and "think twice" about using their diesel to drive to London.

The extra revenue raised by the new charges will be reinvested into boosting sustainable transport the council says.

Last year more than 10,000 Londoners' deaths were linked to air pollution, according to Transport for London.

Recently, dense traffic combined with a cold snap and the increased use of wood-burning stoves saw London generate the highest level of particulates in six years, breaking EU limits for air quality.

Nearby Hackney council has announced it too will be making changes to its parking policy to promote the use of cleaner vehicles.

Instead of increasing prices for high polluters, the East London council is introducing an experiment that involves banning both petrol and diesel-powered cars from parking on selected streets bordering the City.

The parking spaces will be reserved for pure-electric vehicles.