Porsche to challenge Mayor's plan for £25 Congestion Charge
Wed 20 February 2008
View all news
Porsche, the luxury car maker says it is planning a legal challenge to prevent its customers from having to pay the £25-a-day congestion charge for driving in central London. The charge for 'high carbon' vehicles is due to be introduced in October following a decision by the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone (see associated link to LowCVP news story).
Porsche says it intends to seek a judicial review aimed at quashing Ken Livingstone’s plan to increase the charge to £25, from £8, for the least efficient cars. The Mayor's office has confirmed that it has received a letter setting out Porsche's challenge.
Porsche said that the increase in the congestion charge was "simply unjust". Andy Goss, Porsche GB's Managing Director (quoted by the BBC) said: "Thousands of car owners will be hit by a disproportionate tax which clearly will have a very limited effect on CO2 emissions."
The company has also launched an online petition to back its case for a judicial review.
A spokesman for the Mayor (quoted by the BBC) said "No-one needs to drive these really big polluting cars in central London. It's the 'polluter pays' principle - you will be allowed to carry on driving a big polluting car in central London, but what the new charge will mean is you have to pay for the cost of the pollution that you inflict upon everyone else."
According to the Mayor's office, the Greater London Authority Act 1999 gives the Mayor the power to take this action. His office also states that Porsche has a vested interest in seeking to prevent London government from exercising its powers to improve the environment and that the Mayor will contest any action from Porsche vigorously.
Porsche says that it if does not receive a satisfactory response to the letter, it will apply to the courts for an order to quash the new charge.
The Friends of the Earth (FoE) Director Tony Juniper said: "Cutting carbon dioxide emissions is now an urgent priority and all sectors of the economy will need to play a part in that process. Porsche has founded its business on the promotion and supply of highly polluting vehicles."
President of the AA, Edmund King ,said: "We are concerned that the Mayor has changed his scheme from a congestion charge to an emissions charge almost overnight. Larger families with some people carriers or estate cars will also be hit."
Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s have launched a joint online petition in opposition to Porsche's threatened action.
Related Links
< Back to news list