'Tourist tax to cut pollution'

A "London tax" should be imposed on all tourists flying into Heathrow airport, Ken Livingstone urged today.

The Mayor said the levy was needed to protect the environment from damage by soaring numbers of aircraft.

In an echo of his controversial congestion charge, the airport tax would act as a deterrent but also raise vital funds to improve public transport to the airport.

Mr Livingstone did not put a figure on the cost of the levy, but even a ?5 charge would raise ?40million a year since some eight million foreigners touch down at the airport annually.

"I really would love to have a London tax levied on everyone coming into Heathrow. You could use part of that to bring Heathrow Express fares down to Tube level," he said. The new tax would hit "predominantly tourists, not business people".

Mr Livingstone added that there was increasing opposition to Heathrow's extra runway and called for air fuel to be taxed at the same rate as petrol. "Certainly the case is not proved for subsidising cheap foreign holidays," he said. "Why give someone a tax break if they are flying down to Malaga but not if they are driving down to Exmouth or somewhere?"

The Mayor said his views were backed by a major new study into air travel by his Sustainable Development Commission. This claims that by 2050, air travel could contribute 15 per cent to the world's CO2 emissions and by 2015, nitrogen oxide pollution for residents around Heathrow will breach EU guidelines.

Mr Livingstone lambasted the White House's refusal to take part in the Kyoto treaty on cutting greenhouse gases. "By the time Bush has finished another term, we will be on the way to environmental hell," he said.

Mr Livingstone also plans to turn London into a low-emission zone, banning polluting lorries, taxis and coaches. He said: "We have got to do something, because it won't be long before someone sues the Government for lung cancer because they have breathed the air."