London is taking another step in combating pollution.
The mayor of England’s capital, Sadiq Khan, wants to charge owners of vehicles that are heavy polluters 12.50 pounds ($16) per day to drive into the city, according to Autoblog. He plans to have the charge take effect in 2019.
Khan has made environmental efforts a key part of his policies, and that’s not just to gain popularity. Since he suffers from asthma, Khan is directly impacted by the city’s air quality.
“The air in London is lethal and I will not stand by and do nothing,” Khan said, via Autoblog.
London was set to introduce the new Ultra Low Emission Zone in September 2020, but will begin implementing it in April 2019 instead. In 2020, Khan reportedly plans to expand the zone for buses and trucks to include all of London, and he plans to expand it for cars in 2021, though not to include the entire city.
Other major cities around the world such as Paris, Madrid and Mexico City plan to introduce even more drastic regulation to lower urban emissions. All three have want to ban new diesel vehicles starting in 2025.
Thumbnail photo via Flickr/Emre Ergin
