A new green parking scheme, which is part of the council’s sustainable Croydon agenda, will help tackle air pollution when it’s introduced across the borough next week.
Emissions-based parking charges will see drivers with the least polluting cars given substantial discounts off the cost of their annual permits while drivers with more polluting vehicles will have to pay a little more.
The scheme is part of the council’s wider work to tackle the climate and ecological emergency. Other improvements already in place include boosting the borough’s recycling rate by 9%, creating more School Streets and installing 400 electric vehicle charging points by 2022.
The new charges cover annual resident permits in controlled parking zones. Residents with the greenest vehicles will have substantial discounts on the cost of their permits, with the new charging system based on their vehicle’s CO2 emissions per kilometre.
A new category offering a smaller fee for older cars with a small engine size below 1,601cc has been introduced following feedback from residents.
Existing resident permits will remain valid and will only be replaced by the new scheme when they expire over the coming year.
“More and more people are waking up to the fact that we are facing a climate and ecological emergency.
“Croydon is determined to become more sustainable in every way we can to help meet this global challenge.
“Every year air pollution, principally caused by motor vehicles, contributes to 205 deaths in Croydon and thousands across London. We want to do everything we can to improve air quality and protect the health of our residents.
“Our new green parking scheme is one of a number of steps we are taking to tackle this problem, and aims to encourage drivers to reduce their environmental impact.”
Councillor Stuart King, cabinet lead for environment and transport
New charges will also be introduced for business permits, visitor permits and all other permit types next year.
Those needing to renew an existing permit will be written to before their current one expires. More information on the new permits is available online as is a map of controlled parking zones.
