London mayoral election: Greens pledge 'better and fairer' road charges

Zoe Garbett at the launch of her electoral campaign on 26 March

The Greens would ask Londoners if they wanted a "better and fairer" way to charge motorists for driving in the capital, their mayoral candidate has announced.

Zoe Garbett said there would be a consultation on road-pricing which would charge people different amounts depending on how far and when they travelled, and what car they drove.

She also vowed to extend free peak travel to older people and free school meals to secondary school pupils.

Labour said London was already "leading the way" in tackling the climate crisis.

Sadiq Khan has already been pressurised to drop plans for pay-per-mile road-charging, but he has asked Transport for London (TfL) to look at ways of simplifying the congestion charge, Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) and Silvertown road tunnel toll charges.

Ms Garbett said there needed to be a fairer system which charged motorists the more they drove, and took into account time, distance and emissions.

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At her launch event at a community centre next to the Regents Canal in east London, she said a Labour mayor and Tory government were "letting down London."

"We'll hold a consultation immediately. If Londoners want to stick with the current model, that's up to Londoners," she told BBC London.

She said: "Making our city more affordable is at the heart of my election campaign.

"A Green mayor will make transport affordable for all. Freezing fares isn't enough. A Green mayor will work to bring down the cost of fares across our city."

She revealed plans to:

• Extend free bus travel to under-22s

• Restore free peak travel for over-60s

• Provide free school meals for all secondary school pupils

Extended free school meals would cost between £180-200m which would come from the expected increase in business rate income next year, she claimed.

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She argued the "off-peak Fridays" trial started by the current mayor was "not benefiting the right people" and she would fund instead the £40m cost of free peak travel for Freedom Pass and Oyster 60+ card holders.

She told BBC London she did not have a figure yet for the cost of free under-22 bus travel, but it would be "in the same region" as £40m.

A Labour spokesman said environmental issues had been central to Mr Khan's mayoralty.

"London now has the world's largest clean air zone of its kind, alongside 1,400 zero-emission buses, a transformed taxi fleet, and a third of the UK's electric charging points.

"Tree planting and rewilding have also been at the heart of Sadiq's mayoralty."

In a statement, the Conservative candidate Susan Hall did not address green issues directly.

"I am listening to Londoners and will get a grip of crime, build more affordable family homes and scrap the Ulez expansion on day one," she said.

The Liberal Democrat candidate Rob Blackie said, "Only the Liberal Democrats can beat both the Conservatives and Labour in London. We have a proud record of removing Conservative MPs, and we are working to beat many more at the next general election.

"The Greens don't have a serious plan to tackle London's housing crisis - opposing housebuilding wherever it is proposed."

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