Porsche launches C-charge fight

Last Modified: 02 Apr 2008
Source: ITN

Luxury car giant Porsche has launched a legal battle to stop London Mayor Ken Livingstone taxing gas-guzzlers.

Mr Livingstone, who is standing for re-election on May 1, plans to raise the capital's congestion charge from £8 to £25 a day for cars with high fuel consumption.

Porsche has filed an application for a judicial review in the High Court.

Andy Goss, managing director of Porsche Cars GB, said: "This is an illegal use of power by the mayor.

"The Porsche case is about protecting London and Londoners from a new tax that will not only fail to reduce CO2 emissions in central London, but also increase congestion and damage air quality."

Mr Livingstone said: "Porsche should focus their attentions on cutting CO2 emissions from the cars they produce rather than on pursuing this pointless legal action."

His Conservative opponent in the mayoral election Boris Johnson has said he will scrap the plan to increase the charge.

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