A TfL-commissioned report has shown that the new £25 C-Charge will increase CO
by 182,000 tonnes, Porsche has claimed.
According to the carmaker the findings of the King’s College research on CO2 were never revealed and only part of the report was released by TfL.
Porsche said that the reason for the increase in CO2 was that motorists would be forced to drive longer distances outside the Congestion Zone as a result of the new charge.
All figures previously publicly released by TfL with regard to the impact of the new charge on CO2 emissions, including during the consultation process, related only to the position within the congestion charge zone, it added.
The King’s report shows that should mayor Ken Livingstone’s proposal go ahead there will be an increase in CO2 emitted in Greater London in each year from 2009.
By 2012, research shows that in Outer London the increase in CO2 will be nearly 184,000 tonnes, with just 2,200 tonnes saved in Central London giving a net increase of 182,000 tonnes.
The findings contradict the mayor’s claims that CO2 will fall.
Commenting on the release of this report, Andy Goss, managing director of Porsche Cars GB, said: ‘We always knew the environmental impact of this unfair tax would be minimal, now we know it will make matters worse.
'The Mayor and TfL need to explain why this report was not disclosed and why they want to increase taxes on motorists that will increase CO2.’
The King’s report estimates the total impact on CO2 in both Central and Outer London, and shows that ‘most of the emissions impacts happen in the outer location and this is a direct result of the high car traffic flow in the outer zone and the change of the vehicle km in this location.’
Because of this new charge, drivers are likely to increase their mileage outside of and around the zone and thus increase their emissions, said Goss.
‘It seems absolutely clear that the report shows that not only have Mayor Livingstone and TfL not presented all of the information to the public about the impact of his £25 charge, but that they have also created a new tax on motorists that will do the exact opposite of its stated goal,’ he added.