Diesel drivers are under siege from authorities and the Government, who want to clampdown on their usage, due to revelations about the harmful emissions they emit. 

Motorists who drive these cars are expected to be slapped with new tax increases in the Autumn Budget. 

Back in Spring, Chancellor Philip Hammond said he would “explore the appropriate tax treatment” for diesel vehicles. 

Now it looks like there is going to be more bad news for diesel drivers with the introduction of the D-Charge. 

The D-Charge is an extra £2-an-hour surcharge that diesel drivers will be forced to pay from January to use 6,500 parking bays across Islington, London. 

There are already smiler schemes in place elsewhere in London with Westminster trialling a £2.45-an-hour levy for pre-2015 vehicles in Westminster, Fitzrovia and Hyde Park. 

In Westminster a reduction of just over 12 per cent of dirty diesel cars has been seen since the parking levy was introduced. 

Last month a T-Charge was also introduced into London which charges drivers an extra £10 on top of the £11.50 congestion charge. 

Therefore certain people parking in Westminster and Islington could be paying a hefty charge just to park across the borough with the added T Charge and congestion charge. 

Residents are becoming increasingly concerned about the affect of air pollution after the revelation from London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, that every Londoner lives in an area which exceeds illegal limits for PM2.5 pollution. 

According to a new report by the National Audit Office, the way the air pollution crisis is being dealt with is also not as effective as it needs to be. 

The report found that over 85 per cent proportion of air quality zones in the UK (37 of 43) that did not meet EU nitrogen dioxide limits in 2016 and that compliance with EU limits wont happen until 2026. 

Claudia Webbe, Islington council’s executive member for environment and transport, said: “The main causes of death in Islington are cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases and cancer — all of which are exacerbated by diesel emissions.

“It is not right that local residents should have to bear the burden of through-traffic pollution on their health.”

The proposal to bring the charge to Islington will be considered on 23rd November. 

James Thornton, CEO of environmental lawyers ClientEarth, said: “The NAO report lays bare the stark facts on air pollution affecting many areas of the UK, and illustrates why we have been forced to take the UK Government back to court for failing to produce a plan that would reduce the country’s illegal and harmful levels of air pollution in the shortest time possible. 

“The government has passed the buck to local authorities and the NAO raises questions about whether it is doing enough to support them. Many more towns and cities have illegal levels of pollution than the 23 which ministers have pinpointed in their latest flawed air quality plan.

"We need much more action from the government and next week’s Budget must contain measures which encourage a move away from diesel and on to cleaner forms of transport.”