Greenwich Council has rolled out a new parking fee structure that penalises owners of high-polluting vehicles.
Under this emissions-based scheme, drivers face charges ranging up to £7 per hour for on-street parking, with rates determined by the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by their vehicles.
In contrast, owners of zero emission vehicles, such as electric cars, may benefit from significantly lower fees, paying as little as 70p for an hour of parking within the London borough.
As part of this initiative, drivers seeking residential parking permits will be obligated to pay £300, while business parking permits come with a substantial £825 fee, both valid for a 12-month period.
Some Greenwich residents are experiencing additional costs of £280 for parking permits, with prices varying between £20 and £300.
In contrast, owners of the most environmentally friendly models face a comparatively modest fee of £55.
According to The Telegraph, Greg Smith, a member of the Commons transport committee, criticised the “absurd” initiative, stating that it would unfairly penalise both residents and businesses.
Mr Smith said: “Councils need to understand the real world, where real people are trying to go about their lives, get to work, do the family shop and take the kids to school.
“Bonkers policies that seek to punish people that drive what some bureaucrat deems the ‘wrong sort’ of car will both punish their own residents and harm the businesses that rely on cheap and accessible local parking.”
Energy Live News has approached Greenwich Council for comment.
