London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2025

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan backs plan to charge drivers levy for ‘needless trips to shops’

Motorists could be charged to drive to the shops under plans backed by Sadiq Khan to discourage “needless” car use. The Mayor has given his support to a call for London to introduce road-user charging, which would set a levy based on the distance and time of day travelled.

Supporters say that charging drivers to make journeys that could be walked, cycled or made by public transport would end decades of “the car being king”.

The idea has been proposed by Camden council transport chief Adam Harrison, who is overseeing the transformation of Tottenham Court Road and Gower Street into two-way streets that prioritise pedestrians and public transport.

In an article for the Fabian Society, Mr Harrison compared driving half a mile to the shops to “the cheeky cigarette you know you shouldn’t be having”.

He said: “The truth is that reclaiming London’s streets for public use over private domination will make London a better city.

"A nuanced charging system could be variable by time of day, the type of journey being made, the vehicle used and the alternatives available.

“The journey in a clean vehicle with no reasonable walking, cycling or public transport alternatives could be charged at a low rate, or not at all, while the needless drive down to the shops could be charged more.”

Mr Khan said he wanted to avoid a “war on motorised road users” and road-user charging would have to replace vehicle excise duty, which costs London motorists £500m a year.

Any new system would also incorporate the congestion charge and ultra low emission zone (Ulez) into a single levy.

Mr Khan has asked Transport for London to investigate the technology available to introduce road-user charging, but said it would not be introduced “in the short term”.

He told the Standard: “We are going to continue to invest in new technologies around the ultra low emission zone but look into what is available in relation to technology around road-user pricing.

"What you can’t afford to do is to have London motorists being penalised twice — paying vehicle excise duty and road-user pricing.

“Once we are confident in relation to road-user pricing, if councils like Camden want to test it or pilot it, of course I would be happy to work with them.” London is due to hold its biggest-ever Car-Free Day this Sunday when more than 340 residential roads across 24 boroughs will be turned into “play streets”.

The centrepiece of the event, backed with £1m from City Hall, will be the closure of Tower Bridge and Bank junction, with festivals at both locations.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×