Last week saw the introduction of the Toxity Charge, a £10 levy on older vehicles entering the centre of London. The Charge will apply typically those registered before 2006.

The London Mayor’s own Impact Assessment says it will have only a ‘negligible’ impact on pollution. Transport for London’s assessment concludes the £10 daily charge for vehicles that are over ten years old will save just “1-3 per cent of nitrous oxide emissions”. The assessment also concludes the anticipated reduction in air pollution will be ‘low’.

This will particularly hit small businesses with older vehicles who will be facing charges of £2,600 a year or having to spend between £3,000 and £7,000 to renew their vehicles. As it will only be levied in central London there will be many parts of the Capital still facing air pollution, which may increase if polluting vehicles are pushed back.

The mayor should be installing more rapid changing points for electric vehicles and bring in more hybrid zero emission hydrogen buses into operation.