Porsche to sue over congestion charge

Porsche are going to take on Mayor of London over Congestion Charging. Seems like an interesting development although he's been to court before and won so will this be any different?

Porsche have also set up a site to gain public support on http://www.porschejudicialreview.co.uk

Porsche could sue over £25 a day congestion charge

Porsche is threatening a legal challenge to London mayor Ken Livingstone's plans to demand a £25 congestion charge from drivers of high powered sports cars and 4x4s entering the capital.

The German luxury car company's British division today cited an "unjust" increase as it announced plans to make an application for judicial review on Livingstone's plans to hike the congestion charge for some cars to £25 from £8 now. The rise for those living inside the zone is to £25 from 80p a day.

Porsche labelled the proposed increase for certain cars "disproportionate" and argued the rise will do nothing to achieve the stated aim of decreasing emissions in central London.

"A massive congestion charge increase is quite simply unjust. Thousands of car owners driving a huge range of cars will be hit by a disproportionate tax which is clear will have a very limited effect on CO2 emissions," said Andy Goss, managing director of Porsche Cars GB.

"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," he added.

Porsche said it will be writing to Livingstone this week. The mayor will then have 14 days to respond to the carmaker.

"If the mayor fails to respond to Porsche's letter or refuses to reconsider his plans, Porsche intends formally to submit its application for judicial review at the Royal Courts of Justice," the company said in a statement.

The mayor's office responded saying the threatened legal action was "a double attack on Londoners".

"First Porsche are trying to deprive Londoners of their democratic right to decide in the mayoral election on 1 May whether they want gas guzzling and polluting cars to drive in London when there is absolutely no need for them to do so. Second they are trying to impose on all Londoners unnecessary levels of pollution and greenhouse gases by a tiny minority," said a spokesman for the mayor.

"No one is allowed to throw their rubbish in the street and Porsche should not be allowed to impose gas guzzling polluting cars on Londoners who do not want them."

Read more on: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/feb/19/travelandtransport.carbonemissions?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

Scottish Sikh Attacked

Sikh man racially abused on bus An investigation has been launched after a Sikh man was racially abused by a gang on a bus in Edinburgh. The incident took place on a number 26 LRT bus travelling to Corstorphine, at about 2230 GMT on Saturday.

The 22-year-old victim, who wears a turban, boarded the bus at Haymarket with a friend.

Shortly after, a group of youths, who are all in their teens, racially abused the victim, partly due to his traditional clothing.

They then got off the bus at various stops along Corstorphine Road and Drum Brae South.

The main abuser, who is female, got off the bus at the top of the hill of Drum Brae Drive near to the Fox Covert housing estate.

She is white, 16 to 20 years old, 5ft 8ins, of slim build, with blonde hair tied up in a ponytail. She was wearing a white jacket and grey jeans.

A police spokesman said: "The victim was left extremely upset as a result of this incident, which shows a lack of respect for the victim's faith.

"There is no place in society for religious or racial intolerance.

"We want anyone who witnessed the incident, or who knows the identity of any of the youths involved, to get in touch."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotlan...ast/7230077.stm