LONDON, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced Tuesday a 30-million-U.S. dollars scrappage scheme to remove high polluting goods vans from streets in central London.

The move comes ahead of the introduction in April of a 16 U.S. dollars charge on the heaviest polluting vehicles entering the Central London low-emission zone.

The zone will be the toughest emission standard adopted by any city in the world and will improve air quality for millions of Londoners. The charges will apply 24 hours a day, on every day of the year.

Khan also called on government environment secretary Michael Gove to give millions of dollars of match funding to City Hall to enable low-income Londoners to scrap older cars.

The van scrappage scheme will initially help thousands of smaller London businesses to switch to the cleanest vehicles, including electric.

Khan, said: "Air pollution is a national health crisis that is stunting the lung development of our children and leading to thousands of premature deaths. To truly get a grip on our lethal air we need to take bold action to rid our city of the most polluting vehicles.

"I'm determined to take real action which is why I've already delivered the Toxicity Charge in central London for the oldest polluting vehicles, cleaned up our bus fleet, and brought forward the Ultra Low Emission Zone. My scrappage scheme is my next step in tackling pollution."

The move has been welcome by the major motoring organisations, the AA and the RAC.

A City Hall spokesperson said: "The move is the latest step in Sadiq Khan's drive to tackle air pollution in the capital. Across the country, toxic air leads to 40,000 premature deaths annually, and increases the risk of asthma, cancer, dementia, imposing a financial burden of 20 billion pounds (25.5 billion U.S. dollars) on the economy every year."

The scheme is planned to be in place ahead of the introduction of London's new central London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) which from 8 April 2019 will bring in charges for vehicles which do not meet stricter emission standards that apply 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Diesel vans which do not meet the latest Euro 6 standard will have to pay 12.50 pounds (16 U.S. dollars) a day to drive in central London. Enditem

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