Hundreds of thousands visitors driving into the city daily will pay a variable toll of around €2, adjusted to reflect how polluting their vehicle is. Larger vehicles such as HGVs will pay considerably more than €2.

The toll will apply on a test basis from the beginning of 2007, after Milan's new centre-right mayor Letizia Moratti finally gave the controversial plan the go-ahead. Pollution control is a strong argument in Milan, prone to severe smog as high emissions from road transport, industry, heating and coal-burning plants are trapped by the mountains surrounding the Po river valley, where the city is located. Environmentalists have welcomed the plans, while the residents of Milan's suburbs continue to oppose them.

Although London is the world's best known city charging for entry into its central zone, it is just one of a number of cities employing the policy - and more are considering the measure as reports of the success of existing schemes stream in.
Singapore, Toronto and Oregon, US all successfully introduced congestion charging and have seen significant drops in traffic.

Milan is hoping to reproduce the fall in traffic jams experienced in London, where congestion fell an average of 26 per cent over the past three years

Milan's authorities are also hoping to benefit from improved air quality, The city plans to spend the revenue generated from the toll on improving public transport.