Municipal councillors in an affluent London suburb have voted to introduce controversial residential parking charges that penalise the most polluting cars, the local authority said Tuesday. The graded scheme would give electric car owners free parking permits but see owners of vehicles with high carbon dioxide emissions like 4x4s charged triple the current annual rate of 100 pounds (151 euros, 197 dollars).

Richmond council leader Serge Lourie — a member of Britain's third party, the traditionally pro-environment Liberal Democrats — said after the meeting Monday night that he was "delighted" the resolution had been passed.

"Climate change is the defining issue of our age — it is clear that we must all change our behaviour to combat its effects," he added in a statement.

The emissions-related parking scheme, which was first mooted in October last year to worldwide interest, is expected to be up and running from May.

A council-commissioned poll suggested 47 percent of local residents were in favour and 38 percent opposed. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) said the charges would make them consider changing to less-polluting vehicles.

Lourie said nine other councils in the London area and others outside the British capital have expressed an interest in introducing a similar scheme.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone, who has himself proposed charging owners of 4x4s 25 pounds a day to enter central London, described Richmond's decision as "brave" and encouraged other boroughs to follow suit.

His own scheme to tackle traffic paralysis — forcing drivers to pay an eight-pound congestion charge to enter central London — is due to expand westwards from next month.

Richmond, famed for its sprawling park and small town feel, is home to a number of famous faces, including the Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger, his ex-wife Jerry Hall and The Who guitarist Pete Townshend.

earlier related report

Merkel opposed to EU plans for car emissions scheme

Berlin (AFP) Jan 30 – German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday waded into an escalating battle over EU plans to enforce big cuts in carbon dioxide emissions from cars by voicing opposition to a wholesale solution.

"The government will do everything it can to reach a sector-wide reduction," Merkel told a meeting of industry leaders here.

It was "regrettable" that European car makers would not meet the targets they had set themselves, she said.

But she added that it would be wrong for a wholesale solution to be imposed as a result.

"The diversity of the automobile industry must be respected," Merkel maintained.

The EU Commission is preparing to present legislative proposals in the coming weeks to restrict CO2 emissions from cars to 120 grammes per kilometre on average.

But the German auto industry has voiced oppostion to the plans, saying production of medium-and high-powered cars would shrink and jobs moved elsewhere.

Source: Agence France-Presse