Sadiq Khan has launched a war on drivers – his | Tech News

Sadiq Khan has launched his newest war on drivers, and motorists assume the transfer is totally loopy. Just years after Mr Khan’s growth of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), the mayor is at it again with one other money grab, with petrol and diesel drivers on the centre of the storm.

The London Mayor has confirmed that Congestion Charge charges will rise to £18 from January 2, 2026, which means petrol and diesel drivers will face price hikes in simply weeks. That’s a £3 increase on the present £165 Congestion charge, equal to an extra £21 per week for individuals who use their vehicles day-after-day, or round £90 per 30 days.

That’s not all; with electric vehicles, you will pay the Congestion Charge charges for the primary time, incurring a £13.50 day by day invoice for EV drivers. The Mayor claims that retaining the present charges would lead to round 2,200 more automobiles in London’s congestion charging zone on weekdays from subsequent 12 months. 

Cutting visitors is actually one goal, but it surely’s onerous to disregard the financial rewards. AutoExpress claims the transfer might generate between £80 million and £91 million in additional income annually, which is a staggering £415 to £455 million over 5 years. 

However, it’s simply the most recent in a slew of motoring choices which have hit motorists within the capital hardest in recent times. ULEZ rises have been the most important blow, however increased parking fines and pedestrianisation plans have left drivers feeling like an afterthought. 

A new ballot from AutoExpress exhibits that highway customers have had fairly enough, with many wanting set to present up their licences altogether. 81% of drivers claimed that the congestion elevated to £18 a day is unfair, with 85% believing motorists are actually being unfairly focused by native authority transport insurance policies.

47% of these polled mentioned rising tolls and expenses have already made them keep away from sure areas or routes, with 14% now admitting they drive much less than they used to.

The complicated half of the message seems to be the investment in highway infrastructure initiatives, whereas concurrently criticising those that will truly use them. Just final 12 months, Transport for London (TfL) performed a very important function in paving the best way for the new Silvertown Tunnel, a new route connecting North and South, which opened on time in April 2024. 

If motorists actually are saying ‘enough is enough’ and contemplating ditching their vehicles as soon as and for all, might Khan’s new tunnel grow to be a white elephant long earlier than it is time?