Hello,
I normally do not follow or participate in online petitions but in this case I feel I have no option but to support you in your Judicial Review against the increase in congestion charging for performance/high engine capacity vehicles.
Although I only drive through the London congestion zone a handful of times per year I feel this is both unfair and nothing more than a political stunt by a Mayor with no intention of anything else other than fund raising under the “green banner” as it seems politically incorrect to oppose such a TAX these days.
As an owner of 2 vehicles that both fall under this category (a BMW 635csi, and a 454ci [7.4 litre] Mk.II GT40 replica), I feel that I pay more than enough extra taxation through higher “road tax” due to the capacity of my engines and in fuel duties due to their lack of “economy”. Why should I be required to pay yet again.
Mr Livingstone (I really had to clench my teeth to be that polite), claims we should not be able to “buy our way out” of our environmental responsibility by claiming that we pay more already through national government sanctioned taxation on fuel and road use; what is this then other than a “locally sanctioned” environmental buy out tax.
If I choose to drive a ROAD LEGAL performance vehicle then that is my right to do so, and it is my choice that I pay higher fuel and running costs because of that. To be again targeted by an increase in taxation on my own property is absolutely outrageous.
To also target the “Chelsea Tractor” which is the only class of vehicle that many parents feel safe putting their children into around London’s busy streets in these days of road rage and general road intolerance, not a politically correct view but one which most drivers (not chauffeured Mayors) will appreciate, is wholly unacceptable. These parents also pay a premium to run these vehicles in order to keep their offspring safe, why does Mr Livingstone feel they should have to pay him more to keep on doing the same thing.
A large majority of (if not most) councils in the UK give permits/discounts for residents and business owners that fall inside restricted parking/driving zones. Why is London suddenly different? Is Mr. Livingstone so determined to extract every last penny from people who wish to live or work in the centre of the United Kingdom’s economy that he now wishes to impose a further tax on those who own vehicles whose emissions/age/capacity are above certain arbitrary levels that already pay a huge premium to live close to their work. A majority of these cars will not be used in commuting to work as during commuting hours the road system and parking facilities at the other end of it are gridlocked or full anyway. The Mayor already has his wish that it is quicker to use public transport to get around the centre of the city than it is to drive yourself; so why tax a car heavily per day for being parked at a postcode inside the congestion zone?
I wish you every luck in you endeavour and please feel free to add my name to any petition that you present in this cause.
Sincerely
