High-CO2 parking price rise plan

Vehicles with high CO2 emissions could face a parking surcharge

Drivers with "gas guzzler" cars could face a 25% surcharge for town centre parking in a Surrey borough.

Woking council said it had been focusing on vehicles as a source of carbon dioxide and wanted drivers to choose more eco-friendly cars.

Low-emission cars could receive a 25% discount or more on town centre car park season tickets, and cars with high emissions could pay 25% extra.

The council executive has approved the move which needs full council consent.

Councillor Ken Howard said the council was following the DVLA system to grade vehicles into different bands according to CO2 emissions.

He said: "Pollution from cars is harming our environment and we need to find new ways of tackling the problem."

The move will be considered by the full council next week.

Find out what tax band your car is in

This year, taxes were raised for high-emission vehicles, with the worst offenders attracting a vehicle excise duty of £210.

The move was coupled with a zero rate for a small number of cars with the lowest carbon emissions, and £40 duty for cars with low emissions.

The Department of Transport said only two cars would qualify for the zero rate of duty - the Honda Insight petrol-electric hybrid and the Smart diesel.

The Toyota Prius was in Band B, which was subject to a £40 Vehicle Excise Duty bill.