'low emission zone' plans for London (Red Ken)

[catso]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4619390.st

'Fumes zone' plans under scrutiny

Ken Livingstone's multi-million pound plans for a "low emission zone" for greater London are to be scrutinised.
The Mayor of London wants to discourage the most pollution-producing diesel vehicles - such as old lorries, buses and coaches - from entering the city.

It might mean vehicles which do not meet emission standards are charged to enter the LEZ, or banned from it.

The zone, aimed at improving health and helping meet UK and EU air quality targets, could be brought in by 2008.

Cars would not be included, nor would vehicles on the M25 London Orbital.

Financial test

The mayor, who already fought off much opposition to his £8-a-day congestion charge scheme, has said he wants to make London the most environmentally-friendly city in the world.

But it is currently unlikely to meet its targets for reducing nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter - for which the mayor says road transport is responsible for about 47%.

The LEZ plans, which could cost up to £10m to set up depending on the scheme, will be scrutinised by the London Assembly on Tuesday.

Darren Johnson, chairman of the assembly's green committee, told BBC London: "We want to make sure that this scheme stacks up in terms of actually improving air quality and bringing London into line with EU laws.

"We also need to make sure it stacks up financially, that there is funding in place that businesses are able to switch over to cleaner vehicles... There's a lot of work to do."

[nonegreen]

So will it be Birmingham or Manchester that becomes the leading city? Is it perhaps time those of us who are north of Oxfordshire declared independance from the UK and formed a sillines free zone. I am in favour of cutting the South East off and taking our oil and gas with us too.

[munky]

nonegreen said:

So will it be Birmingham or Manchester that becomes the leading city? Is it perhaps time those of us who are north of Oxfordshire declared independance from the UK and formed a sillines free zone. I am in favour of cutting the South East off and taking our oil and gas with us too.

O/T but feel free to declare independence. It is indisputable fact that the south east subsidises the rest of the UK, given that London alone produces 25% of the GDP of the UK with less than 25% of the population. I'd love it if London split off into a separate city state, as we wouldn't need to pay any income tax, all tax revenue requirements would be covered by coporation tax. Do the maths, and the remainder of the UK would need to pay higher income tax to compensate - are you happy with that? And the UK has been a net importer of oil for years, and recently became a net importer of gas too (we import from Norway and more gas terminals and pipelines are being built to take it from mainland Europe). Secondly the price paid for oil/gas in the UK is set by international market prices, so that would make bugger all difference to us. So, go ahead

Back on topic, any move to clean up the air in any city should be welcomed. Most particulate air pollution is indeed produced by older diesel lorries, buses and probably old taxis. As much as I liked the old routemaster buses, the newer buses that replaced them produce far less pollution and more of the old smoking diesel vehicles should be removed from the streets.

[nonegreen]

munky said:

nonegreen said: So will it be Birmingham or Manchester that becomes the leading city? Is it perhaps time those of us who are north of Oxfordshire declared independance from the UK and formed a sillines free zone. I am in favour of cutting the South East off and taking our oil and gas with us too. O/T but feel free to declare independence. It is indisputable fact that the south east subsidises the rest of the UK, given that London alone produces 25% of the GDP of the UK with less than 25% of the population. I'd love it if London split off into a separate city state, as we wouldn't need to pay any income tax, all tax revenue requirements would be covered by coporation tax. Do the maths, and the remainder of the UK would need to pay higher income tax to compensate - are you happy with that? And the UK has been a net importer of oil for years, and recently became a net importer of gas too (we import from Norway and more gas terminals and pipelines are being built to take it from mainland Europe). Secondly the price paid for oil/gas in the UK is set by international market prices, so that would make bugger all difference to us. So, go ahead Back on topic, any move to clean up the air in any city should be welcomed. Most particulate air pollution is indeed produced by older diesel lorries, buses and probably old taxis. As much as I liked the old routemaster buses, the newer buses that replaced them produce far less pollution and more of the old smoking diesel vehicles should be removed from the streets.

As all the parasites such as the Royals and the civil service are housed in London then the cost must obviously be born by the SE. As we are keeping our oil and whats left of the manufacturing that kind of leaves you stuck with the FSA and the CSA. good luck