Porsche attacks congestion charge

Porsche has intensified its attack on London mayor Ken Livingstone's congestion charge by releasing a new poll that appears to show its unpopularity with the public.

The Porsche Cars Great Britain survey found that 74 per cent of Londoners believe the increase in the congestion charge to £25 for gas-guzzling vehicles is too high.

Controversially, 62 per cent of respondents answered in the affirmative to a question on whether the charge has been brought in because the mayor is more interested in securing extra revenue than helping the environment.

And over 80 per cent of respondents said the new charge will be bad for business in London.

Porsche has also launched a legal challenge in an attempt to force a reversal of the congestion charge increase on the grounds that it is "disproportionate".

The luxury car manufacturer has demanded the London mayor release full details of a December Ipsos-Mori survey, which Mr Livingstone claimed showed Londoners supported the new policy.

The managing director of Porsche Cars Great Britain, Andy Goss, wrote to the mayor claiming that "despite repeated requests to your pollsters over the last two months, the full tables have yet to be made public".

Porsche has published the full tables from its latest congestion charge poll.