London drivers face £1,100 parking fees under green emissions rules

Drivers in some London boroughs are paying up to 28 times more to park outside their homes than those in neighbouring areas under disjointed emissions-based charges. Analysis of residents’ parking permit costs across London shows that in Islington some diesel vehicles pay £1,114 to park for a year, compared with a £39.50 charge for the same vehicle in Redbridge. Most commented 1 Pope Leo diagnosed with lung cancer after operation Europe 213 comments 2 Scaling up: the best British fish to eat sustainably revealed Environment 51 comments 3 Three in ten of super-rich consider leaving Britain over tax fears Companies & Markets 168 comments 4 New dinosaur related to T rex emerges from drawer after 100 years Science 28 comments 5 Sculpted stags in the garden — and other news in pictures Photography 51 comments Driving groups said the high rates were simply revenue raisers for hard-up councils, while supporters argued that the charges were essential for improving toxic air. More parking officers than full-time soldiers’ as councils cash in The fees are high in Islington because it, along with 27 other London boroughs, has an emissions-based parking system that charges cars more if they emit more carbon dioxide. The borough has a diesel surcharge of £259 a year. Advertisement The cheapest residents’ permit in Islington — for an electric car — is £115.95 a year. The most expensive — for a vehicle that emits 255 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre (g/km) — is £854.90. The diesel surcharge takes the cost to £1,113.90. Top stories 1 Starbucks ‘explores takeover’ of Chipotle Mexican Grill US business Top stories 1 New Would you ride a 70mph electric tricycle? Transport 2 New IMF praises UK deficit cuts — France and US urged to follow suit Economics 3 Budget 2026 predictions: when is it and what could be announced? Economics 4 Why the top funds can be the worst ones to buy Saving & Investing 5 Forget the property ladder, there’s a new route to wealth Saving & Investing The analysis by the permit comparison site Parking Permit Costs found that four of the 32 London councils charged a flat fee for all vehicles. Redbridge’s £39.50 was the lowest flat fee, ahead of Havering at £45 a year and Hillingdon at £92.40. Emissions-based charging schemes were introduced in the early 2010s. Analysis by Money last year found that 49 councils in Britain used emissions-based charges, and 20 of London’s 32 boroughs have a diesel surcharge. City of London doesn’t issue residents’ permits. Hackney had the second highest fee for petrol vehicles and the highest diesel surcharge. A driver of a diesel Mercedes-Benz G-Class emitting 255 g/km would pay £1,070 for an annual parking permit. Drivers of a Tesla Model Y, which has no emissions, would pay £54. Polluters pay: the £1,000-a-year cost of parking a gas guzzler Advertisement Jack Cousens from the AA said: “The continuous raising of the cost of residents’ parking permits has created a situation where it feels less of a charge and more of an extra tax on vehicle ownership. “Drivers want simplicity when they pay for parking, and emissions-based rates, while having good intentions, can adversely affect households that simply cannot afford to change their car to something greener, or that are required to take their work vehicle home.” The environmental campaign group Mums for Lungs found that the number of registered diesel vehicles in inner London fell from 205,400 in June 2019 to 106,000 in June 2024. Oliver Lord from the Clean Cities campaign, a European network of green transport organisations, said: “Many households in London don’t even own a car, especially those on the lowest incomes, so it’s only fair that those who do have cars pay to park them on public land.” Money newsletter The latest personal finance and investment news from our money team. Sign up with one click You’ve successfully signed up to the Money newsletter Explore our newsletters An error occurred. Please use the link below. Money newsletter Explore our newsletters Barnet has the cheapest overall year-long residents’ permit, which costs £19.52 for zero-emission vehicles. Islington and Tower Hamlets charge electric vehicles different amounts based on their battery sizes. Advertisement Chris Reed from Parking Permit Costs said: “Where you live matters far more than most drivers realise.” Islington council said: “The figures being highlighted reflect the cost of a permit for the most polluting vehicles and are not representative of what most residents pay. The comparison also ignores the fact that Islington is not the highest-charging borough for lower-band permits or diesel surcharges. Should bigger cars pay more to park? “Our emissions-based permit system is designed to encourage cleaner vehicles and support our commitment to tackling the climate emergency. A resident driving the lowest-emitting electric vehicle pays £115.95 a year for a permit, and monthly permits are available at no additional cost. “Comparing permit charges in a densely populated inner-London borough with those in an outer-London borough such as Redbridge is not a like-for-like comparison. Around 70 per cent of Islington households do not have access to a private car or van. Any surplus from parking charges is reinvested in highways and transport improvements that benefit local people.”