City's adopted parking fee scheme axed in birthplace

COUNCILLORS in London have axed a controversial parking scheme linked to CO2 emissions that has been copied in Edinburgh.

The borough of Richmond decided to drop CO2-linked residents' parking permits, with the AA hailing the U-turn as a triumph for motorists.

It had been the first UK council to launch such a scheme, however the move led to it being dubbed the "council that hates cars".

The scheme was scrapped after the ruling Lib Dem party lost power to the Conservatives, who had campaigned against "hostility to the family car".

Edinburgh introduced a similar scheme, which sees drivers of so-called "gas guzzlers" paying up to 320 for a permit.

However, drivers of the least polluting vehicles in the outer zones of the city have seen their charge fall from 80 to 25.

There had been warnings the changes would not address pollution and could be unfair to families and disabled people.