Rush-hour drivers are snarled by TfL census

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Transport for London put the checkpoint up at Vauxhall Cross at 7.30am but within minutes it had jammed roads in the surrounding area. Tailbacks stretched back to the Oval in Kennington at the height of the rush hour and the Vauxhall junction was at a standstill.

Long queues built up as far away as Camberwell New Road and traffic in South Lambeth Road was reduced to a crawl. Tailbacks also hit Wandsworth Road and Nine Elms.

A cab driver told the Standard: "I thought TfL were meant to be easing the traffic, not making it worse. Why on earth have they blocked one of London's busiest junctions at the busiest time of the whole day?

"It must have caught thousands of travellers, just because they wanted to find out where people were going. It is absurd," the driver added.

The census was backed by the Met police and involved questioning drivers travelling north on the free route through the congestion zone.

Those who managed to reach Vauxhall Cross found the usual two lanes of traffic had been restricted to one. Selected vehicles were then guided to stop in a bus lane for questioning.

Edmund King, AA president, said: "You would think that mounting a survey at 7.30am at a traffic-sensitive spot like this would not have seemed the brightest idea. Credit to TfL for calling it off when they realised the effect it was having."

TfL admitted it halted the survey when it realised the mayhem it was causing. A TfL spokesman said: ''TfL carries out roadside surveys to enable us to plan better and more reliable transport options for the future."