‘Pure dictatorship!’ Brits rage as diesel and petrol drivers will pay huge parking costs

The parking charges are split up into bands which categorise which vehicles will have to pay based on how environmentally friendly the car is. The maximum charge is £33.50 for those wanting to pay for up to nine hours, who have a non-Euro 6 compliant diesel vehicle.

For Band 5 – which is all non-Euro 6 compliant diesel vehicles that produce more than 201g/km of CO2 – one hour of parking will cost drivers £5.50.

In comparison, cars in Band 1 that release less than 100g/km of CO2 will only pay £1.50 for parking.

All electric vehicles will benefit from this, as the price to stay for up to nine hours is £13.50, just £1 more expensive than it would be for a diesel car to park for three hours.

Express.co.uk readers have now shared their huge dissatisfaction with the new parking proposal with some calling the measures a “pure dictatorship”.

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“Green is also a now a rich man’s way to have our roads to themselves.

“If we cannot use our roads then nor will the rich.”

However, there were other users who disagreed.

Some commented that the new rules will help in persuading drivers to get rid of their “polluting” diesel vehicles.

One Express reader said: “Good! Hopefully, it’ll help to persuade drivers of old diesels to get something less polluting.

“Sick of having to breathe in the toxic stench these things leave everywhere they go.

“Somehow, people seem to think they have a right to pollute the air we all breathe.

“Sorry, you don’t. Get something cleaner and it doesn’t have to be electric either.”

The car park is run by Lewisham Council, who have launched this new charging scheme as part of its Climate Emergency action plan, according to MyLondon.

Council bosses expect to bring it around £300,000 extra a year from the changes to short-stay parking for cars and vans.