Eight out of London’s 33 borough authorities have introduced CO2-based parking plans where residents are charged up to three times more for a parking permit if they have a bigger-engined car, in many cases doubling the cost of a resident’s parking permit.

The first increase of this kind was seen in Richmond Borough Council, in affluent south-west London, where overnight the cost of parking – except for those with driveways – went from a maximum of £100 to £300, or a staggering £450 for a second vehicle.

Paul Watters, head of AA’s transport policy comments “There could be worse to come; councils are also keenly monitoring Richmond’s latest wheeze – an electronic card parking scheme that also hits ‘gas guzzlers’. It encourages drivers to register their cars online and after providing their cars CO2 details, they receive a pre-pay card which can be topped up and swiped at street and car parking ticket machines in the borough.

Cars with emissions between 121g/km and 180g/km, including some Ford Focuses, pay 25 per cent less than base rates. But owners of cars emitting more than 181g/km of CO2, such as some Ford Mondeos and many 4×4’s, must pay 25 per cent above standard rates. It is estimated that the move could net the council an extra £800,000 a year.”

Julia Callan, MD at 24 7 Parking says “It is a blatant attempt to squeeze even more cash from London’s motorists. It is unacceptable to penalise a vehicle on its emissions when the car is switched off.”