Londoners shun diesel cars and go electric amid rising toxic air fears

A DRIVERLESS shuttle bus carried passengers on a public route in London for the first time today. Over the next three weeks the pod will ferry four people at a time along a path in Greenwich. The 1.3-mile riverside test route near the O2 is also used by pedestrians and cyclists but not cars or other vehicles. The computer-driven vehicle travels at up to 10mph and has a conductor on board who can bring it to an emergency stop. Five cameras and three lasers help the navigation computer avoid obstacles.

9.7 per cent in February and a rise of 10 per cent in January, though both months saw far smaller sale volumes.

Londoners appear to be shifting towards electric cars, with the number of registrations of alternative fuel vehicles rising from 1,544 in March 2016 to 1,876 last month, a rise of 21.5 per cent. There was also a jump in petrol car purchases of nearly 12.3 per cent to 11,255.

Clean air campaigner Barry Gardiner, Labour MP for Brent North, said: “These figures show that Londoners are acutely aware of the desperate air pollution that is damaging the health of hundreds of thousands of people.

“They are prepared to take action themselves to protect their children’s health and they rightly expect the Mayor and the Government to do the same.”

Sadiq Khan yesterday unveiled his plans to introduce the Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London earlier in April 2019.

Drivers with cars which emit dirty fumes will have to pay £12.50 a day to enter the city centre.

The ULEZ will later be extended to the North and South Circulars.

However, Prime Minister Theresa May has hinted there will be some help for diesel drivers who face having to pay the surcharges aimed at tackling toxic air.

@nicholascecil