Capital's congestion charge shake-up

Boris Johnson has proposed changes to the London Congestion Charge that would see the charge increase by 25%, according to the Financial Times.

It was also announced that fees might be abolished in the West London extension just three years after it was introduced.

According to What Car? green cars will be exempt from the charge, not just hybrids. All cars which emit less than 100g/km of CO2 and meet other Euro V emission standards will get a complete exemption from the charge.

Cars will only be exempt if they meet these standards. This means that hybrids who have a higher CO2 output will miss out on this and be charged the proposed £10 day rate.

A total of 17 cars will now be exempt from the charges, with 6 previous charge-free cars losing that privilege.

The news might tempt owners of the now chargeable cars, such as the Honda CR-Z or Lexus LS600h, into selling a car and replacing it with a greener alternative. With the cost of public transport set to increase too, it looks like the biggest Congestion Charge shake-up winners are those who own the newly exempt vehicles.

According to the Times, Transport for London is expecting to lose £55 million if the west London extension is abolished. Claims have been made that it would boost traffic in the areas of Kingston, Chelsea and Notting Hill by 15%. The proposals to abolish this extension are in the final stages of public consultation and, if the move receives enough support, the last chargeable day would be Christmas Eve.

Arnold Rabinowitz, Croydon, Mazda MX-5

Kevan Noble, Portsmouth, Renault Grand Scenic