Greener London will target drivers
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Radical new programmes aimed at making London the "green capital of Europe" are to be brought in by Ken Livingstone, its newly re-elected Mayor.
Radical new programmes aimed at making London the "green capital of Europe" are to be brought in by Ken Livingstone, its newly re-elected Mayor.
Polluting lorries and taxis are to be banned throughout the city, homes and buildings will be required to have solar panels, commuters will be encouraged to share cars and a new agency is to be set up to cut London's contribution to global warming.
The programmes, which are designed to build on the success of the congestion charge, are likely to provoke a renewed clash with transport and fossil fuel lobbies. But the Mayor is determined to push them through to create a "low carbon London", by heavily cutting emissions.
The whole Greater London area is to be turned into a giant "low emissions zone". Lorries, buses, vans and taxis that fail to meet tough new emission standards will be banned from the city, and drivers who flout the ban will be fined. Cars, however, will be exempted.
The ban will accelerate the phasing out of the capital's much-loved, but polluting, jump-on, jump-off Routemaster buses. Together with the congestion charge the ban will make London one of the most tightly controlled cities in the world for drivers. But the Mayor and his deputy will increasingly focus on buildings, which are responsible for four fifths of the capital's emissions of carbon dioxide.
Mr Livingstone said: "I will use all my planning powers to make sure new buildings use clean, green technology like solar panels." A new Climate Change Agency will be set up with powers to improve the energy efficiency of old ones, and promote solar energy and combined heat and power plants.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments