Updated: 00:33 AEDT, 15 November 2024
333
View
comments
Sadiq Khan planned to charge drivers £2 per mile to drive in central London, leaked proposals show.
The nearly implemented plan was almost brought in for September 2026, to be the headline policy of the mayor's final term.
If it had gone through it's likely it would have proved one of the most controversial motoring schemes in recent history.
Sadiq Khan planned to charge drivers £2 per mile to drive in central London from September 2026, leaked proposals show.
Seen and revealed by London Centric, the leaked plans show that London's Mayor and TfL plotted to charge motorists up to £2 per mile to drive inside the Congestion Charge zone, as well as whacking them with a £5 daily tax.
'Project Gladys', as it was internally codenamed, modelled how the pay-per-mile move would lead to a drastic reduction in the number of cars on the roads.
Leaked plans reported by London Centric show that London's Mayor and TfL plotted to charge motorists up to £2 per mile to drive inside the Congestion Charge zone, as well as whacking them with a £5 daily tax.
Go Compare surveyed 2,000 drivers in December 2023, with just over half (53 per cent) voting against a pay-per-mile tax system.
Unsurprisingly, 52 per cent said they opposed the scheme because they felt it would be unfair to vehicle owners who are more reliant on their motors - especially those living in rural and remote areas.
Young motorists were the most against it – 60 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds felt this way.
Contrastingly, among the quarter (26 per cent) of respondents who'd welcome pay-per-mile, it was mainly older drivers aged 55 and over (one third).
Of the 26 per cent who said they'd back the switch, 76 per cent thought it would make for a fairer system.
The next most popular reason was the positive effect it would have on minimizing unnecessary car usage, reducing congestion and emissions – 59 per cent voted for this.
Some 44 per cent said they'd be pro it because they'd pay less tax.
While this might seem fair to some drivers, there are stark warnings about how unfair it will be for rural drivers who have no choice but to drive further.
Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.
Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd
Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group