The congestion charge extension
From Monday 19 February everyone driving east out of the borough will have to fork out for the Mayor of London’s congestion charge. Hundreds of school children cross the border daily, and those parents forced to drive because of unsuitable public transport or multiple drops will find themselves paying £160 a month. And if you are about to have a baby at Chelsea and Westminster hospital, don’t forget - you will need to have your £8 baby tax at the ready!
London’s £8 baby tax - posted 13/02/2007
Pregnant mums in London could end up paying £8 to give birth. The charges have come about because the congestion charge is extending west (on 19 February 2007), putting an invisible toll barrier between the mums and their nearest maternity unit.
Mums who pay on the day will have to stump up £8, but those in labour for extended periods will have to pay more – £10 if paid after midnight, and £50 after 24 hours. Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, west London’s main maternity unit, is inside the extended zone whereas most of its catchment area – Hammersmith and Fulham – is not.
Councillors from the borough are joining with the West London Residents Association in a go-slow protest on Saturday (17 February 2007) against the extension. This is an eleventh hour attempt to force the Mayor of London to reconsider implementing the scheme.
Councillor Nick Botterill, cabinet member for environment, said, “This scheme is cutting residents off from vital services, of which maternity units are just one example. Do we really expect women in labour to jump on a bus? And should they really be fined if they forget to pay the charge whilst in labour? The Mayor of London should call a halt to this costly, unnecessary and damaging tax on west Londoners.”
David Tarsh, from the West London Residents Association, said, "By cordoning off a large residential area the c-charge extension is creating a ghetto for the privileged, where others have to pay to get in. Ghettos are abhorrent to civilised society; they belong in the history books, not in 21st century London."
Are you ready for 19 February? - posted 25/01/2007
Fears are mounting that traffic chaos and parking meltdown will hit our streets as drivers struggle to find routes round the extended zone or park up in favour of public transport. Key crunch points are expected to be Fulham Palace Road, North End Road and Hammersmith Broadway, as drivers, confronted for the first time with the new restrictions, try to move north or south to avoid entering the zone.
One of the borough’s two trunk routes, the A40 Westway is outside the zone. It already carries the lion’s share of drivers from the west of London and is expected to see a massive rise in traffic as people try to steer their way around the charge.
H&F Council and many local residents are incensed that this extension has been foisted upon us, despite continued opposition from local people. H&F Council is demanding to know why the £6million we need for works to keep traffic flowing has still not yet been paid by Transport for London, the Mayor’s transport agency. The money is badly needed to minimise the impact on the borough and its residents, but despite the imminent zone extension, has not been forthcoming.
A mass rally is being organised for Saturday 17 February. Hundreds of protestors will meet at 10.30am on Addison Road to drive around a pre-arranged route in a ‘go slow’ to highlight the added congestion the extension of the zone will create. If you are interested in joining the go slow, please see the attached map and join the rest of the demonstrators on the day.
Opposition to the extension - posted 22/12/2006
H&F residents could face an expensive and congested new year as the C charge spreads West from February. With Tfl’s billboard and TV advertising now underway, it looks like the extension is now unstoppable. The scheme could cost around £166 million to implement and will not recoup its costs for at least ten years.
H&F Council is opposed to the extension of the scheme and at the end of last month held a summit meeting with local community groups to share issues which will be created by the scheme and to outline how the Council is working to try to minimise the impact on our borough.
The RAC Foundation for Motoring is also opposed to the proposal to extend the central C Charge zone westwards. It said that the scheme should not be implemented without independent external scrutiny.
Statistics show that H&F is currently the most congested borough in London. Around half of the journeys our residents make will involve entering the C charge zone once it extends into Kensington & Chelsea. Residents in the Royal Borough are being offered a 90% discount, but H&F residents are not.
Cllr Nick Botterill, Cabinet member for the Environment said “Against our wishes and best advice, the C-charge is heading west. We are now lobbying for changes which will help our residents cope with this additional stress. We want the parts of the borough closest to the c-charge zone to be included in the 90% discount scheme. We also want funding to help make changes to parking and traffic flow in the borough and have applied for over £6million in funding from Tfl to do this.”
“In an ideal world we would like to see the extension scrapped. It seems madness that the technology for the scheme is due to be replaced in 2009 and yet the old technology will roll out at huge cost, only to be worthless in a couple of years. We will continue to lobby for the abolition of the extension, but we have to deal with the reality of the situation and plan coping strategies to minimise the impact on our residents.”
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