Diesel drivers in Islington will pay more to park

A London council will be charging residents with diesel cars an extra £96 for their parking permits.

Islington Council said the move was necessary to improve air quality in the borough.

The authority said pollutants in diesel exhausts had been linked to heart and lung disease.

But a motoring group said drivers were confused by the penalising of one fuel over another as today's diesel cars were the "cleanest ever".

Mike Hawes, from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: "Bans and parking taxes on diesel vehicles therefore make no sense from an environmental point of view.

"The allegations against diesel cars made in recent months threaten to misguide policy-making and undermine public confidence in diesel. It's time to put the record straight."

The surcharge, which will be imposed by Islington Council from Monday, coincides with an increase in its parking permits.

The cost of an Islington resident's permit depends on the emission or engine size of their vehicle with the highest priced at £444 for a year from Monday. This was found to be the highest charge for some drivers in the capital, according to a recent survey carried out by Churchill Car Insurance.

Claudia Webbe, the council's executive member for transport and environment, said diesel fumes were the "major cause of pollution."

She added: "Pollutants in diesel exhausts have been linked to heart and lung diseases, which are major causes of serious and long-term health issues and even death in Islington, and the surcharge will encourage a move away from diesel."

In 2014 the council threatened to hand out £20 fines to drivers who refused to switch off their diesel engines while parked.