London mayor considers pay-per-mile charges for drivers

Sadiq Khan is considering a pay-per-mile road pricing system in a bid to tackle air pollution and congestion in London. The mayor’s first draft Transport Strategy aims to encourage people […]

Sadiq Khan is considering a pay-per-mile road pricing system in a bid to tackle air pollution and congestion in London.

The mayor’s first draft Transport Strategy aims to encourage people to walk, cycle or use public transport for 80% of journeys by 2041 – compared to 64% now.

That would mean an average of three million fewer car journeys in the capital every day.

Policies also include “healthy routes” where walking and cycling are given priority, car-free days and banning car parks in new housing developments. Mr Khan suggests secure cycle parking should be considered instead and electric vehicle charging points in developments where car parking is considered appropriate.

He aims to make London’s entire transport system zero emission by 2050 as motorised traffic is said to be responsible for half of the air pollution in the capital.

The mayor will keep existing and planned road charging schemes and will explore the “next generation” of road user charges that could harness new technology “to better reflect distance, time, emissions, road danger and other factors in an integrated way”.

This could include a single ‘per mile’ charge, which takes into account both congestion and emissions objectives.

Mr Khan would also work with boroughs to develop local road charging or workplace parking schemes.

He said: “As London’s population is set to increase beyond 10 million, our future health and prosperity is more and more dependent on us reducing our reliance on cars.

“We have to make not using your car the affordable, safest and most convenient option for Londoners going about their daily lives. This is not only essential for dealing with congestion as London grows but crucial for reducing our toxic air pollution and improving the health of all Londoners.”

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