London is world’s second-most expensive city for driving

London Mayor Sadiq Khan is expanding a zone that charges drivers of high-polluting cars in an attempt to improve air quality. — Reuters

LONDON: Driving a petrol-fuelled car in London costs more than in any other city in the world except Hong Kong, according to a new ranking, partly due to the capital’s congested roads.

Running a petrol car cost £2,500 (US$3,000 or RM13,400) last year, about £550 (RM2,900) more than in 2021, location technology business TomTom said.

Fuel prices, which surged due to the war in Ukraine, meant that London ranked higher than other European cities like Paris, Oslo and Zurich as well as any city in North America.

Higher prices at the pump did not deter people from using their cars, however.

“Despite the rising costs of driving globally, it continues to be a major mode of transport in most cities,” said Andy Marchant, a traffic expert at TomTom. People may have grown accustomed to driving during the pandemic, particularly those who relocated further away from the office.

In London, Mayor Sadiq Khan is expanding a zone that charges drivers of high-polluting cars in an attempt to improve air quality.

Congestion and vehicle types meant that Londoners commuting by car emitted more than drivers making comparable journeys in other cities, TomTom said.

Claire McDonald from Mums for Lungs, a campaign group in south-east London, urged people to ditch their cars.

“It’s always better not to drive and to take alternative forms of transport,” she said. — Bloomberg