The British are getting serious about their gas....their greenhouse gas.  London's mayor, Ken Livingstone, is expected any day to announce his plan for levying a 25 pound ($50) a day tax on individuals who drive sport utility vehicles (SUVs) inside central London.   

While seemingly unreal for Americans whose love affair with SUVs took off in the late eighties and has yet to cease, despite escalating gas prices, the tax will, in reality, have little effect on the country since few drive SUVs in the first place. (Gas prices in Britain average around $8 per gallon.)

The highly anticipated proposal is part of the Mayor's broader plan to decrease London's carbon emissions by 60% by the year 2025.

The plan also includes a $1 billion investment in free bicycles, new bike paths, and additional bike parking for the city's inhabitants to provide an alternative method of commuting.

"We will spend 500 million pounds ($1 billion) over the next decade on cycling -- the biggest investment in cycling in London's history, which means that thousands more Londoners can cycle in confidence on routes that take them quickly and safely to where they want to go," Livingstone said in a statement.   

The biking plan is modeled after a similar Parisian plan instituted last July, which allows riders to pick up a bike anywhere in the city using an electronic key card and return the bike to any station, the way one returns a shopping cart at the grocery store.  Those of you familiar with Zipcar--the popular hourly car rental system now considered mass transit--will see the similarities.

Of course, neither plan is truly original; the Dutch instituted their bike-sharing system in the 1960s and, judging from my last trip to Amsterdam, it looks as if they are still using those bikes.   

It's the electronic identification system that's the novelty.  In 1993, the city of Cambridge, United Kingdom attempted to pilot a bike-sharing program.  All 300 bikes issued to the city were stolen on the first day and the program was abandoned.    

If you think the bike-sharing seems a bit too, well, socialist to ever become popular in the U.S., think again.  "There is a lot of interest in the US, and 2008 is going to be a very big year for bicycle programs," said Paul DeMaio, a consultant to several municipalities on bike programs.  

Bike-sharing programs will likely hit Washington, D.C. and San Francisco first.  According to The Raw Story, "The US capital of Washington will likely be the first in the nation to offer two-wheeled transport at various locations for a nominal fee, under a deal with advertising giant Clear Channel Outdoor."

Washingtonians, don't be surprised if you see the Democratic Presidential hopeful peddling by you along the Potomac this spring in their bid to court the environmental vote away from John McCain.