Seoul City, Korea is the next large city to crack down with congestion charging. Air pollution caused by car exhaust fumes is an issue for most cities in the world now and Korea have introduced an innovative driving scheme aiming to reduce the air pollution levels. Drivers will receive a 50% CC discount for taking part in the scheme known as “No Driving Day“. Motorists are expected to abandon their cars for one day each week and are rewarded with this CC discount. The scheme sounds great in theory, however as the No driving cars are only marked with a paper sticker; it is proving difficult to track whether or not motorists are sticking to the No Driving Day promise.

Alternative fuel vehicles, including Electric, hybrid, solar and fuel-cell cars are fully exempt from the CC in Korea. LPG and Diesel Oxidation Catalyst cars receive 50% discount regardless of whether they take part in the No Driving Day scheme.

More and more cities are introducing CC and other methods to encourage motorists to switch to greener driving habits. With London looking to expand the CC zone further, is it time for you to consider you motoring options?

Air pollution in London is the worst in the UK despite Congestion Charging and Euro Emission Standards. The Mayor of London has once again called for a step up on regulations in our countries capital and is now cracking down on lorries, HGV’s and coach drivers. Starting from Feburary 2008 lorries built after 2001 without exhaust filters stand to face fines up to £1000. This is a huge expense to the haulage industry with an estimated £390million to fit over 60,000vehicles with emission traps to meet the air quality standard. However, with air pollution causing 1,000deaths a year in London alone, the industry needs to take a step towards improving emissions and smog levels. Ken Livingstone firming believes that London can correct it’s poor air quality:

“The proposed Low Emission Zone is the most effective way of quickly reducing pollutants that are among the most harmful to human health. It will make London one of the first cities in the world to have taken such a radical step to tackle air pollution and safeguard our environment.”

The Green Car Congress reported this week that the mayor of London, Ken Livingston, is urging the congestion charging scheme to reward cars with low carbon emissions and increase charges for high carbon emission cars, encouraging more drivers to switch to LPG gas. Drivers are currently paying £8 per day to drive in the zone; the mayor would like to see this rate proportional to carbon emissions with vehicles in band G paying around £25 per day.
The congestion charging scheme is producing results with total traffic in the zone reduced by 15%-18%, congestion down by 30% and emissions, including PM10 and NOx down by 12%. LPG cars produce substantially less emissions than diesel and petrol, therefore LPG drivers that are not on the Power Shift Register will still be rewarded for their eco-friendly cars.

This is great news for LPG drivers, however not everyone is happy about these proposed changes. The Forum of Private Business (FPB) represents 25,000 UK based businesses and is currently the voice for Businesses who support less pollution but are sacrificing their livelihood in the process with the already steep congestion charge.

Edinburgh recently showed huge aversion to inner-city congestion charges, with more than two thirds of people saying “no” to the charge. The aim was to tackle air pollution and reduce emission levels in Scotland’s capital city. Allan Jackson, Tory transport spokesman addresses the issue:

“We continue to work hard at lowering levels of NO2 in areas of concern to ensure that we meet air quality levels by 2010. We encourage bus operators and the taxi industry to ensure that total vehicle emissions and emissions per passenger are lowered as improvements to engine technology become available.”

The benefits of congestion charging include less traffic, cleaner air and public transport improvements. Individuals wishing to address these issues can make stands of their own urges the Cockburn Association. Using alternative means of transport when appropriate will improve congestion problems, helping to improve the air quality in the capital. Alternative fuels are becoming increasingly popular among high mileage users where public transport is not always on option. Studies show that LPG vehicles produce up to 98% less NOx than diesel and petroleum vehicles. Not only will LPG users make savings of up to 50% per year on fuel costs, but they will assist in improving the environment around Scotland’s prided Heritage Site.