Published: 23/10/2017
From 7:00am this morning drivers of older, more polluting diesel and petrol vehicles registered before 2006 now have to pay the new T-Charge, which has come into force today.
The T-Charge covers the same area as the existing congestion charge zone, increasing the cost to £21.50 for affected vehicles. The measure is the latest attempt by Mayor Sadiq Khan to improve air quality in our capital and according to the mayor's office it will affect 34,000 motorists a month.
Speaking on the Today programme, Mayor Khan said: "We've got a health crisis in London caused by the poor quality air. Roughly speaking each year more than 9,000 Londoners die prematurely because of the poor quality air - children in our city whose lungs are underdeveloped, with adults who suffer from conditions such as asthma, dementia and strokes directly caused by poor quality air."
Mr Khan has described the introduction of the T-Charge as "part of a package of measures" being undertaken. Opponents however, say the scheme unreasonably penalises London's poorest drivers.