Drivers of petrol and diesel cars will face higher charges to use private car parks under a plan to tackle pollution.

CitiPark, which operates car parks across Britain, announced yesterday that it would impose a levy on all but the most fuel-efficient vehicles as part of a national drive to cut emissions.

Under the system, cars emitting 75g or less of carbon dioxide per kilometre — typically only electric cars and some hybrid vehicles — would qualify for a “green tariff”.

This would give them an automatic discount of up to 20 per cent of the price charged for petrol and diesel vehicles.

The change has initially been applied to the company’s Clipstone Street underground car park in Fitzrovia, central London.

Read more: The Times