Ken Livingstone, 20th July, claimed that the new pollution-based charge has nothing to do with prejudice against luxury vehicles and everything to do with tackling climate change.  Well, the Mayor may care to note that perhaps 0.5% global carbon emissions are from UK transport, that only 7% of traffic is in the Chelsea Tractor class and that only perhaps one in 10 such vehicles are in London.  Hence if all those halved their emissions the effect would be vanishingly small - a reduction of perhaps 0.002% in the global total.  It follows that either the Mayor has no grasp of number or that his letter is a smoke screen for his prejudice.
 
Paul F Withrington (Director Transport Watch)

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