Drivers of diesel cars are facing a possible reality of a fuel hike if they drive in London, England. The increase in cost is said to be around £24 (approx. $31 USD) due to an introduction of an Ultra-Low Emissions Zone.

The zone, which may go into effect in April 2019, will slap drivers of vehicles that don’t meet the emission requirements a £12.50 (approx. $16 USD) daily fee. On top of that, there’s another fee known as the ‘Congestion Charge’. It adds an additional daily fee of £11.50 (approx. $15 USD) for anyone driving said banned vehicles between the hours of 7:00 AM and 6:00 PM from Monday to Friday within the designated zone.

One affected vehicle type are the Euro 6 diesel cars. They’re also the majority of new cars that were manufactured before 2015. In addition, there’s also the Euro 4 petrol cars, which were typically built before 2006.

If someone decided that they didn’t want to pay the fee, they could expect to be hit with another fine altogether. More specifically, they would have to pay £160 (approx. $208 USD) — a bit of a deterrent for those that are a little rebellious.

All in all, this signifies an increase in the cost of running a vehicle that goes against these regulations. In around one year’s time, those who use the effected zones on a regular basis will be paying roughly £7,552 (approx. $9,840 USD) per year. It goes without question that this is a huge blow for those running diesel cars, however, the benefits of such an initiative are meant to improve the environment as a whole along with the overall health of residents.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, stated that, “a predicted 45% fall in harmful emissions within the zone should be a great start to improving the lives of millions of Londoners.”

This move to try and get more individuals driving environmentally friendly vehicles is a clear sign on the government’s part in attempting to reduce the amount of pollutants in the air. According to Express.co.uk, air pollution is out of control in the city and it’s something that citizens need to address on a daily basis.

At the end of the day, London is making necessary moves to improve the overall health of the citizens living in the city, and that is what is most important.

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