Stats prove c-charge is not working
by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
29/08/2008
The congestion charge is failing to speed up travel times in the zone according to official figures.
The Transport for London (TfL) probe shows London’s streets are as clogged up now as they were before the levy was introduced in February 2003.
The revelation gives ample ammunition to the scheme’s opponents, particularly those who criticised the extension of the charging zone to west London as a measure driven more to tax drivers than alleviate congestion. According to the report there has been no easing of congestion in the western zone.
The news comes as Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council announces a public scrutiny meeting - to be held this autumn - to debate the future of the western extension.
West London Residents Association Chairman Gordon Taylor has been a major campaigner against the extension. He said: “The overwhelming majority of our members want the extension scrapped. The 58,000 people within the extension get a 90 per cent discount to travel into central London. They are making central London congestion even worse.”
TfL first consulted on the western extension in the summer of 2004. Three million questionnaires were sent out and, of the 110,000 responses, 63 per cent of residents and 84 per cent of businesses were against. A second smaller consultation, in the summer of 2005, showed 70 per cent of residents and 80 per cent of businesses against. Despite this opposition the western extension was imposed in February 2007.
Councillor Nicholas Botterill, H&F Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “The consultation on the future of the western extension this September will be the third in four years and the Mayor of London has promised that residents will decide its fate.
“The council has always been opposed to the extension but, as we desperately need to get this right this time, we are planning our own public scrutiny meeting so we can have an in-depth debate locally before feeding views back to TfL.”
The formal consultation by the Mayor of London will be open to residents and businesses across London but the Mayor has said he particularly wants to hear from people living in and around the zone.
Councillor Botterill added: “Anyone with an interest in the future of the extension should come along to our congestion charge summit and air their views. The opinions of the people most affected - west Londoners - must be paramount.”
