Car maker Porsche is to seek a judicial review of the decision to charge drivers of Band G cars to £25-a-day to drive into London, according to reports.
Andy Goss, managing director of Porsche GB, has described the charge as "quite simply unjust" warning that "thousands of car owners will be hit by a disproportionate tax which clearly will have a very limited effect on CO2 emissions."
Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick said the company "have a point: this has become an emissions charge, not a congestion charge and an ineffective one at that. If it ends up in court, it will be Londoners who pick up the tab."
A spokesman for Ken Livingstone’s campaign team said the charge was "matter of democratic choice" adding "Londoners will have a clear choice on this on May 1st, with Boris Johnson and Brian Paddick opposing a £25 charge on gas guzzlers for driving into central London and Ken Livingstone committed to introducing it, and Londoners who want to see this policy implemented should vote for Ken on May 1st so that this scheme can go ahead."
Critics of the scheme have claimed it will not reduce carbon emissions and is unfair to those who are unable to afford a new, low emission vehicle.
Fin says
Poor decision to have Porsche front the battle against the emission charge! Of all the carmakers. . .
stander says
Not sure about that Fin, true the general public may think ‘rich city boys complaining’ but i. it will remind people that this is a cost on london workers and business, ii. its not just urban suvs that get caught but lots of other cars, and iii. porsche has won respect from the people who are most likely to buy their cars.