Enlarge image
London Mayor Sadiq Khan (centre) on Tuesday on his way to a press conference on his new transport plans
Photo: Stefan Rousseau / dpa
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, wants to reduce car traffic in the British capital by at least 27 percent by 2030.
According to a report published on Tuesday, this is necessary to make the city carbon neutral by 2030.
Londoners are to be involved in a consultation process on the measures.
An average daily car commuter spends more than 150 hours a year stuck in traffic, that's more than six days, Khan said.
An expansion of cycle paths should make more car journeys superfluous.
The insulation of houses, which are often poorly insulated in Great Britain, and the replacement of fossil fuel heating systems with 2.2 million heat pumps also play a major role in the climate plan.
Khan commissioned Transport for London (TfL) to develop a city-wide road user charge.
It should be charged depending on the distance travelled, time and place.
With the technology likely not to be available any time soon, TfL should look at other options so that motorists can be made to pay for the air pollution they cause before Khan's tenure ends in May 2024.
One option would be a daily charge for all car journeys within Greater London, another a toll at the city limits.
As early as 2003, London was one of the first major cities in Europe to introduce a congestion charge, which today usually costs 15 pounds (about 18 euros) per day for each car driven in the city centre.
In 2019, an environmental zone (»Ultra-Low Emission Zone«, Ulez) was added, which was extended to the inner ring road in October.
It charges 12.50 pounds (about 15 euros) per day for cars that do not meet the Euro 4 standard for petrol or Euro 6 for diesel.
The ulez could now be extended to all city districts and also to newer vehicles with internal combustion engines.
In any case, electric cars and hybrids would be exempt from the new toll.
Congestion charge and ulez are "pretty blunt instruments," Khan said.
The technology is further today.
He hopes that the old toll systems could be replaced by a smart usage fee within this decade.
"I want London to lead the world."
Out for fossil new cars
The sale of new cars with internal combustion engines is to be stopped by 2030 anyway.
The conservative British government has also committed itself to this goal, with a transitional period for hybrids until 2035.
As the newly elected leader of the C40 initiative, in which international cities want to work together to fight the climate crisis, Khan called mayors "doers" while blaming national governments for delay.
The Labor politician called on the British government on Tuesday to provide financial support to London – especially with the transport turnaround. The city cannot handle the huge task alone. At the end of December, the state had agreed to close a financial gap in the TfL by early February. Otherwise, Khan warned, the city could be forced to shut down an entire subway line.
The social democratic politician has been campaigning for improving air quality in London for years. He also sees this as a question of social justice. The poorest Londoners live in the areas with the worst air quality, Khan said - and they are the least likely to own a car. Last Friday, the air quality was again so bad that the city administration warned citizens against outdoor sports.
Commenting on the new announcement, Jemima Hartshorn of the group Mums for Lungs said it was "a good day for the children of London," according to the Guardian.
Nicholas Lyes of the RAC car club, on the other hand, warned of "massive financial challenges for people, families and companies who drive in London or even just visit the outskirts of the capital".
The proposals would “punish those who simply cannot afford an electric car”.
ak/dpa
