Porsche is launching a legal challenge to London mayor Ken Livingstone's new congesti

By Sky News SkyNews - Tuesday, February 19 10:04 amSupercar company Porsche is launching a legal challenge to London mayor Ken Livingstone's new congestion charge.

The mayor announced this month that vehicles with high emissions would be charged £25 a day to drive into central London.

The increase is set to come into force in October.

German-owned Porsche says it will apply for a judicial review that could see the decision overturned.

It says the increase - from the current rate of £8 a day or 80p for people who live in the congestion zone - is disproportionate and that it will do nothing to decrease pollution.

Andy Goss, managing director of Porsche Cars GB, said: "A massive congestion charge increase is quite simply unjust.

"Thousands of car owners will be hit by a disproportionate tax, which it is clear will have a very limited effect on CO2 emissions.

"Not only is this rise completely unfair to many drivers, but it will also damage London based-businesses of all sizes, and successful people from across the world will start to think twice about basing themselves here if they think they are going to be used as cash cows for City Hall.

"The proposed increase will be bad for London as a whole and will send out the signal that it is not serious about establishing itself as the best place in the world to do business."

Porsche will be writing to Mr Livingstone this week. The mayor will then have 14 days to respond.

If he fails to do so or refuses to reconsider the plan, the company will formally submit its application for a judicial review to the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

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