Congestion charge greener vehicles rule change approved

The London Mayor will abolish the Greener Vehicle Discount

Many "green" vehicles that have enjoyed an exemption from London's congestion charge will have to pay from June 2016, as tougher rules are to be introduced.

The move will mean only vehicles emitting 75g per km of CO2 or less will earn free entry into the C-zone.

Many hybrid cars currently available like Toyota's Prius and the Fiat 500 TwinAir will have to pay the charge.

It is estimated around 23,000 motorists who were previously exempt would have to pay under the new rules.

The congestion charge is the daily £10 fee changed to most motor vehicles that enter central London's congestion charge zone.

Drivers who who are registered with the automatic payment system pay a daily fee of £9.

The penalty for not paying the charge will rise from £120 to £130 from 20 May.

Under changes to the scheme, the option for motorists to pay the congestion charge in shops, which is used by 6% of payments, will also be removed.

A spokesman for London Mayor Boris Johnson said: "These changes are in line with the mayor's aim to improve air quality in London by reducing emissions from private vehicles and promoting the further development of low emission vehicles.

"We want to encourage the continued development of these technologies, while also protecting the benefits to traffic flow in the centre of London that the charge provides."