"Red Ken" Livingstone wants a sliding scale based on CO2 emissions, for the next iteration of the congestion charge. Currently everyone pays 8 GBP a day (about 16 USD), but under the new scheme vehicles in band G (>226g/km CO2) would pay 25 GBP a day - that's 50 USD!

I'm sure glad I don't drive an RX-8 in London. In addition to gas being >$6 a gallon, this would just about kill it.

 

Bit more info on gas prices:

The Daily Auto Insider
Monday, May 1, 2006
May 2006

While Americans complain about $3-per-gallon gas, drivers in Britain and much of continental Europe wish they had it so good, according to a story in the Washington Post.

The average gasoline price in Britain has risen 19 percent since January 2005 to a national average of $6.48 a gallon. And many stations are charging well above that, with at least one in London's chic Chelsea neighborhood charging nearly $8 a gallon last weekend.

What's more, drivers in 11 European countries are now paying an average of more than $6 a gallon for gasoline, according to Britain's AA Motoring Trust. The disparity between European and American gasoline prices is accounted for by high taxes charged in Europe, where governments have long used gasoline taxes as an important source of revenue and as a policy tool to drive down oil consumption and reduce pollution.

Taxes account for about 66 percent of the pump price in Britain. Of the current average price per gallon of $6.48, about $4.27 goes to the government, while U.S. drivers pay an average of about 46 cents per gallon in combined state, federal and local taxes, according to the Tax Foundation, an independent organization in Washington.

 

holy crap so glad to not be in europe........

 

You don't know half of it. It's about $7.30 per gallon here in Finland. Which of around 80 percent is tax. And then our car prices are about double the prices of US and that's because of 70% taxes in them. For such a speed crazy country, we are surely getting fucked up in the a** by the government over here.

 

Oh poppycock!

 

To put things in perspective, we Americans, are pretty spoiled.

 

We're not spoiled. It's called not being socalistis. What we don't pay in gas we pay in healthcare and other taxes.

 

That, and all of our cities are designed around the bloody automobile. Very few cities in this country have good public transportation.

 

And let's not forget the most important thing:

USA! USA!

 

We are a large country. Europe is much more compact, much less driving distances then we have. They drive small diesel cars that get 50mpg, much better transit system, more population per sq.mile. They can walk to the tavern, school, or work. We are the largest user of oil so we should get a price break. Plus we control the world and are the largest oil producer. We can meet all our oil needs right here if willing to explore new resources. World oil consumption is at our mercy. We will never pay thier prices. If it were not for China we would only being paying $2.00 at the pump.

I'll bet they use that high gas tax to fund thier very expensive freee healthcare system. We don't have that here.

 

I think I might have to take a detour to Caracas the next time I need gas...

 

No ****..

 

I wish it was that simple.

 

Note that this only applies to central London...and if you are foolish enough to want to take your car in there you deserve to have to pay 25 quid!

 

I know it's not a popular idea amongst car enthusiasts—especially sports car enthusiasts—but personally, I'd like to see a much HIGHER gasoline tax, or a "carbon tax" of some sort. I really think it would make people rethink their driving habits: people would take fewer non-essential trips, favor cars that get good mileage, and buy fewer road-hogging, traffic-blocking, accident-causing SUVs. And being less dependent on Middle East oil would seriously weaken the power of countries over there to affect what happens over here.

I live in Manhattan and believe "congestion pricing" would be a good idea here. It's being considered. Traffic congestion in midtown is absolutely unbearable and a drain on the economy. Doesn't help air pollution either, and it's a burden on pedestrians and cyclists. Of course, our mass transit would have to be more reliable—especially when it rains!

I love driving as much as anything and I LOVE my car, but sometimes what's good for most is more important than what's good for me.

 

$1.92 is the tax London pays on 1 galon. The U.S. varies from state to state but averages about .42 a gallon. There are other factors of course but tax is a big part of it.

 

If the US had the kind of public transit that Europe has I wouldn't care as much about a congestion tax. But since that ain't gonna happen I refuse to pay some ridiculous sum of money just cuz I need to go downtown. Its bad enough they're trying to rob us with all the traffic light cameras...