New C-Charge zone 'will raise traffic and pollution'

The Mayor's plans for a new emissions-based congestion charge will swamp central London with an extra 10,000 cars and hasten global warming, a report claims today.

The scheme, which aims to hit gas guzzlers with a £25-a-day toll and let low emission cars into the charge zone for free, is due to begin in February depending on a consultation closing tomorrow.

The study by the influential think-tank the Centre for Economics and Business Research, commissioned by Land Rover, is based on analysis of Transport for London's own figures.

The CEBR says social benefits of the scheme will be equivalent to £325,000 a year at most, but it will cost £6.5 million to set up and up to £2.5 million a year to run. This would be enough to offset up to 20 times the amount of carbon emissions the scheme will prevent.

The CEBR says 10,000 motorists - one in five of those deterred by the Ccharge - could start to drive in central London again.

A TfL spokesman said: "These criticismsare reminiscent of the doom-laden arguments of the opponents of the original congestion charge scheme.

"It is not surprising that a report commissioned by Land Rover has come out against charging cars according to emissions."