Ringing in the New Year in London will now come at a cost

London

NEW Year's Eve revellers are paying dearly to hear the chimes of London's world famous Big Ben ring in the arrival of 2015.

For the first time, London Mayor Boris Johnson has imposed a £10 (S$20) a head charge for people wanting to party on the streets along the River Thames, with numbers allowed to enter a restricted zone limited to 100,000.

Last year, an estimated 500,000 headed for the heart of London causing chaos on public transport systems and a major headache for crowd stewards.

Mr Johnson said: "London's New Year's Eve fireworks are phenomenally popular, not just in the capital, but across the world; and we want to ensure it continues to be a safe, enjoyable and sustainable event for the long …