Diesel drivers are being slammed with hundreds of pounds in extra costs to park near their properties under Labour Council's regulations.
Diesel Drivers Hit with £250 Yearly Parking Surcharge in London and Beyond
New data has shown that diesel drivers will face additional yearly charges of £250 to park near their homes as local authorities head towards more climate-friendly alternatives.
In a move to reduce harmful emissions, more than half of London councils have imposed strict air pollution surcharges, with diesel cars being one of the major contributors.
Figures from the PA news agency has revealed that residential on-street parking permits cost more for diesel vehicles in 18 of London’s 32 district, all but four of which are Labour-run.
London Hackney Council imposes a £250 charge a year in order to park their diesel vehicles, the most expensive amount in the country, the surcharge is cut in half for council estate residents, some modern diesel vehicles are also exempt.
Other councils in the capital are charging costly additional fees for parking permits, these include: Islington (up to £220), Merton (£150) and Camden (up to £115).
Many councils across the rest of the nation also impose higher fees, like Bath and North East Somerset Council (£80) and Brighton and Hove City Council (£62.05).
The City of Edinburgh Council, under a minority Labour administration, is the only authority outside London to impose such fees, albeit at a lower rate of £50.
Diesel Drivers Slam Councils' Parking Surcharges as Experts Urge Fairness and Eco-Friendly Measures
Luke Bosdet, motoring policy spokesperson at the AA, stated that permits are supposed to help to benefit residents, not punish people for owning vehicles.
He said: “Influencing vehicle ownership towards greener alternatives is done evenly through national taxation, such as vehicle excise duty or company car tax.
“National car taxes ensure that all drivers are treated equally and are rewarded or penalised for their choice of vehicle.
“Diesel surcharges imposed by councils discriminate against residents who have to park their cars on the street outside their homes, while their neighbours with driveways and off-street parking can have whatever vehicle they want.”
The expert referred to the excessively high parking prices as “simply a council cash grab”.
A Hackney Council spokesperson stated that the 2015 diesel surcharge is introduced to encourage drivers to opt for more eco-friendly vehicles.
Other figures from Friends of the Earth revealed that in 2022, 4.5 million people residing in the capital lived in areas where air pollution rates were double World Health Organisation guidelines.
Consequently, Jenny Bates, pollution campaigner at the environmental organisation, highlighted that more councils should adhere to these rules to take a greater amount of polluting vehicles off the road.
Leo Murray, co-director of climate charity Possible, stated: “Real-world emissions tests show that toxic NOx emissions from diesel cars in London are on average six times higher than those of petrol cars.
“We need to start seeing more local authorities using parking policy to discourage dirty private cars.”