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But a leading campaigner has described the charges as “cash-grabbing tactics” which will put “draconian restrictions” on motorists. Howard Cox, founder of Fair Fuel UK said the chargers were being introduced “without fair consultation” to help finance the “green agenda”.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk Mr Cox said: “Clean Air Zones are portrayed as the panacea for our nation’s air quality standards in our cities.
“They are most certainly not; they are simply cash-grabbing anti-driver tactics implemented by clueless ill-informed politicos.
“Our City centres are already strewn with tumbleweed, with high street retail businesses and white vans being hit the hardest.
“The well-financed green agenda-driven, so-called environmentalists use emotive headlines to bully gullible local authorities and our hapless Minister of Transport to push out draconian restrictions onto the highest taxed drivers in the world, all without fair consultation.”
Mr Cox has also hit back at authorities for pushing drivers to use the London Underground where particulate matter readings can be 2,900 percent higher than on main roads.
Clean Air Zones will come into effect in several UK cities within just months which will add heavy daily chargers to motorists running costs.
Bath has been given the green light to launch their scheme on 4 November and will charge some road users up to £100 per day to use their streets.
Private hire vehicles and taxis will be hit with a £9 per day charge unless drivers make use of a £2,000 scrooge scheme and update their model.
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Birmingham has confirmed that all non-compliant cars will be charged £8 per day to use the Clean Air Zone while heavy vehicles will need to pay £50.
The rules state that only Euro 6 diesel cars or euro 4 petrol models will be allowed to use the roads for free which cuts off access to those with older vehicles.
London will also expand their ULEZ scheme next October to include an area 18 times larger than the original charging zone.
The North and South Circular roads will be included in the charge as well as many areas on the outer edges of the capital.
Similar charging schemes are already being drawn up for a range of cities including Bristol, Manchester and Cardiff.
Mr Cox has warned that the charges could be used to pay off gaps in public spending caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Money could also be used to “replenish” any “fiscal black holes” in local authorities budgets.
He said: “Cash strapped councils and our gullible Government, see the internal combustion engine as the only target to pay off both Covid debt and to replenish the local authority fiscal black holes.
“How will the fifth largest income to the Treasury be replaced by any new electric vehicle tax income?
“Get ready road users, unless you are wearing Lycra, you will be targeted to pick up the loss in diesel and petrol duty. That you can be sure of.”
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