Sadiq Khan plans to introduce ‘pay per mile’ scheme for drivers

Sadiq Khan has proposed new charges for London motorists in a bid to help boost the capitals eco-credentials

As well as a ‘pay per mile’ model, the mayor is understood to be considering a flat daily charge of around £2. Somewhat unsurprisingly, the proposal has been met with firm opposition.

The RAC described it as “poorly timed”, arguing that electric vehicles are still too expensive for most people. Khan has also faced a backlash from outspoken Pimlico Plumbers boss Charlie Mullins. Speaking with the Daily Mail, he said: “Climate change is a serious issue, but he's putting the cart before the horse.

“Workers like plumbers can't get round London with their tools on the tube or on the back of a bike, so until there are electric vehicle charging points on every street, their diesel vans are the only option.

“Yet again he is hitting the people in the pockets that keep the capital moving – the commuters travelling to work, the tourists visiting the city and the workers trying to do their jobs. It will destroy business and London.” 

When explaining the decision, Khan said he was 'not willing to stand by and wait when there's more we can do in London that could make a big difference'.

“We have too often seen measures to tackle air pollution and the climate emergency delayed around the world because it's viewed as being too hard or politically inconvenient, but I'm not willing to put off action we have the ability to implement here in London,” added Khan.

The mayor's earnestness to reduce pollution in the capital is not without merit. A City Hall report commissioned by Khan found that in order to hit London’s ambitious net-zero pledge, a 27% reduction was needed by 2030.

It proposed a “simple and fair” fee for use of London’s roads, with wider charges potentially removing schemes like the congestion zone. However, the technology is not yet ready, so implementation is some years off.

More immediately, expanding the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emissions Zone) to cover the whole of London is being considered to get people off the roads. The ULEZ zone was introduced in central London in 2019, and charges drivers whose vehicles do not meet sustainability standards. It was expanded in October last year, covering everything within the North and South circular roads.

This isn’t the first time that charging people based on road usage has been suggested, with Labour having floated the idea back in 2007. However, that particular proposal resulted in two million people signing a petition against it.

While concerns about the environment have grown hugely over the past 15 years, it seems Khan will have his work cut out for him to implement these changes before his re-election battle in 2024.