William Eichler 15 March 2017

Council introduces £150 diesel levy

A London council is set to introduce a new diesel levy of £150 — up from £65 — to tackle air pollution.

Merton Council has announced it will phase in the new levy, starting with an initial charge of £90 for a parking permit this year. This will rise to £115 next year before increasing to £150 in 2019/20.

Merton’s resident parking permits have been fixed at £65 since 2010.

The aim of the levy rise is to incentivise drivers to purchase more environmentally friendly cars. With this in mind, the council is also reducing the resident parking permit charge for electric vehicles to £25 per year.

A network of electric vehicle charging points in the borough is currently being installed and will, the council said, be available ‘very soon’.

A study from the think tank ResPublica published last month revealed particulate matter - or soot - emissions were up by 0.9% between 2014 and 2015 with diesel vehicles responsible for the majority of harmful emissions.

King’s College London has estimated air pollution was responsible for about 9,400 deaths in London in 2010 and 3,400 hospital admissions — with an estimated associated economic cost of £3.7bn.

‘The environment and air quality where we live should be something we are all concerned about and must all take a certain amount of responsibility for,’ said Cllr Ross Garrod, Merton’s cabinet member for street cleanliness and parking.

‘Bad air quality has been identified as a leading cause of ill health and premature death. We want to do our bit in Merton to encourage people to ensure they drive the least polluting vehicles possible.’

The £37,000 SEND Problem image

The £37,000 SEND Problem

Natalie Kenneison, COO at Imosphere, argues that the real SEND funding crisis isn’t just about budgets - it’s about the systems behind the decisions.
SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

HR Onboarding Officer (CDC)

City Of Doncaster Council
Grade 7, £27,259 - £29,955 (Pay award pending)
You have an opportunity to be part of a busy Human Resources team which offers HR support across the Council. Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Recuriter: City Of Doncaster Council

Purchase to Pay Administrator (Fixed Term) - WMF2122e

Westmorland and Furness Council
£25,584 - £25,992
We are looking for an Administrator to join our Purchase to Pay and Accounts Receivables team Cumbria / Various
Recuriter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Social Worker - WMF2123e

Westmorland and Furness Council
£41,511 - £42,708
We’re looking for passionate social workers to join our team in Kendal following a recent reshape of our services. Kendal, Cumbria
Recuriter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Environmental Health Officer

Wyre Borough Council
£38,626 - £41,511
We are looking to appoint a full time Environmental Health Officer within the Environmental Protection and Community Safety Department. Poulton-Le-Fylde, Lancashire
Recuriter: Wyre Borough Council

Trainee Graduate Accountant

Wyre Borough Council
£25,992 - £37,938
Are you looking to kickstart your career in Finance? Poulton-Le-Fylde, Lancashire
Recuriter: Wyre Borough Council
Linkedin Banner