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The 6.5mph C-charge zone
David Williams, Motoring Editor14 Feb 2008
Traffic speeds in parts of the congestion charge zone have fallen dramatically - in some cases to even lower than before the toll was introduced five years ago.
An Evening Standard survey has found evidence that traffic on 12 key routes through central London travels at an average of only 6.5 mph. Speeds on some main routes are now slower than a walking pace. On the Strand - a vital east-west corridor - the average speed is 1.8 mph.
The Standard's survey, which was conducted in association with the Institute of Advanced Motorists, raises serious questions over the C-charge zone.
It comes a day after Ken Livingstone unveiled plans to increase the amount drivers of gas-guzzlers will pay to enter the zone from £8 a day to £25 and transport commissioner Peter Hendy claimed traffic jams had fallen by a quarter.
Our survey, which was overseen by Kevin Delaney, former head of the Met's traffic division, found:
• The average speed on roads we tested in the "old" charging zone, including its ring road, is now only 5.7 mph.
• In the western extension zone, introduced last February, the average speed is 7.45mph - lower than the average of 11.1mph recorded in autumn 2006.
• The fastest route is the western zone ring road with an average speed of nearly 12mph.
• Speeds have dropped in the past two years across the whole zone, down from an average of 9.9 mph in February 2006 to 6.5mph now.
Mr Delaney, head of road safety for the institute's motoring trust, said: "The results of the survey are very disappointing. They fall a long way short of the promises made when the scheme was introduced and are a great deal worse than early results.
"It must be a disappointment to the Mayor and perhaps is something other local authorities and the Government might want to take account of before it is extended to other cities."
Mr Delaney said most of the blame appeared to lie with the re-phasing of traffic lights - with motorists held on red for longer - and the loss of road space through junction alterations and widened pavements. Bendy buses also created extra congestion, he added.
Claims that a proliferation of roadworks is causing the delays appear to be unfounded. In our survey, we encountered only one set in the "old" charging zone and one on the boundary road of the western extension zone - fewer than for some previous surveys.
In February 2002, Transport for London announced that the average traffic speed in central London had fallen to
9.9mph - slower than the speed of a horse and carriage. Asked if it was concerned that speeds were now lower, a TfL spokesman said: "The point to remember is that congestion charging has successfully reduced traffic in the original zone by 21 per cent - some 70,000 cars every day - and has prevented London from grinding to a halt."
Traffic levels were continuing "to stay well below pre-charging levels".
The spokesman continued: "We have recognised that traffic speeds have begun to slow. In central London road space is being squeezed by the huge increase in work being carried out by utility companies."
But Douglas McWilliams, chief executive of the Centre for Economics and Business Research, said recently much of the current congestion was caused by "more buses than there is space" for.
He said that bendy buses in particular were to blame - a claim denied by TfL. Mr McWilliams called for "road space removal" - for example, pavement widening - to be reversed.
Baroness Jo Valentine, chief executive of business lobbying group London First, said: "Congestion charging has been a success story for the Mayor, with 70,000 fewer vehicles entering the zone daily, but business is concerned that traffic speeds are plummeting. Congestion is back to its worst.
"We call on the Mayor to sort out the problems in central London caused by roadworks and endless bus jams . The Mayoral candidate who wins business's support will be the one who shows leadership in tackling congestion and the pollution it causes, championing fresh solutions to this critical problem."
• We surveyed the same 12 routes on each occasion - all typical commuter/delivery routes ranging from half a mile to three miles, in addition to the inner ring road. Each was driven at the legal speed limit where possible and timed and measured.
Reader views (11)
This congestion charge,most of the time,just hits the lower paid.Five days per week,Fifty weeks of the year. £2000.Some people cannot avoid having to bring their vehicles into town. Then they're harassed by the dictatorial parking restrictions.Does Ken think these people would do this if they could possibly avoid it?
As for extra charges for 4x4',that would be peanuts to a person who owns a fifty grand car
- Ted, London, 13/02/2008 16:43
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If I pay the congestion charge and then get stuck in congestion, can I claim a refund? If not why not? After all I am paying for the privilege of travelling in a zone that is supposed to be free of congestion.
Come on London Lawyers, it's about time this cash cow was challenged.
- Marc, Harrow, Uk, 13/02/2008 15:36
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If it was a properly constructed scheme the congestion/emissions tax would be based on a simple sliding scale that charged car owners on the basis of 'x' pence per gram of CO2 rating rather than 'step changes'. This would be a fair approach and one which would not have a situation whereby for example a 224g car pays over 30 times less than a 225g car where a residents discount no longer applies. At the other end of the spectrum the zero charge 'entry point' can be flexed easily based on what is determined as appropriate and would be reduced over time as technology improves. This is easily administered as each cars CO2 rating is identifiable from the same data pool as the rest of the cars details. Of course in reality the charge should be added onto petrol as a pure green tax as at the moment it nonsensically fails to recognise that someone may have a high polluting car but drives very small mileages versus someone with an average car driving high mileages. However none of the sensible approaches would meet Red Ken's student left wing political social engineering agenda which clearly fails to recognise that the least green and CO" friendly thing you can do is flood London with 100's of thousands of additional people all consuming and polluting!
- Gs Common Sense Party, london, 13/02/2008 15:34
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Don't I recollect a slogan "Red light,Red Ken"? Northing's changed, except we will soon have the chance to get rid of Ken. Everybody knows now that it's time for a change. Give Boris a crack at it.
- Patrick, London, England, 13/02/2008 15:17
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If the number of vehicles has fallen whilst traffic speeds have been reduced this must indicate that the standard of street management in London is extremely poor.
- Bethany Stephens, London E6, 13/02/2008 15:10
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Let's cut to the chase - Ken- wise: ban all motor vehicles, tax shoes.
- Jack, London, 13/02/2008 15:09
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Cars are slow in central London? Oh no. Seeing as cars are the main cause of congestion, and that most trips are faster by public transport or cycling, why should I care about a minority of selfish souls who insist on holding the rest of us up by sitting in a metal box?
Taking road space from cars means that pavements are almost wide enough for pedestrians to walk along, and re-phasing lights means you can almost get across the road before some idiot in a tin can decides it's time to speed another 200 metres.
- Richard, London, 13/02/2008 15:06
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Correct. Logical phasing of traffic lights and clever road planning would help traffic, so why isn't this done?
The congestion charge hasn't worked, it never was going to work and it never will work.
Allowing small cars to drive for free will see pollution and congestion soar as rich people buy smaller cars to drive within the zone (in addition to their luxury cars) and poorer people who currently don't drive suddenly can.
It is an idiotic scheme from an idiotic man who must not be allowed to continue as Mayor.
- Tom, London, 13/02/2008 13:25
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So the congestion charge doesn't work then.
At what time would Mr. Livingstone like to resign?
- Jimbob, Kensington, 13/02/2008 13:19
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Ken is actually cleverer than he seems. His plan is pure genius:
Sting 4x4 drivers for £25 a day who aren't going to vote for him anyway. With a small proportion of the savings, allow low emission cars into town free and gain votes from all those happy 1.3 litre drivers.
Then, 6 months later when Ken has secured the mayorship for another 5 years, look at the increased congestion and claim letting smaller cars into the zone free was a "terrible mistake".
Net result - free entry for small cars rebuked, Ken in power for another 5 years.
Ken is indeed a master politician!
- Simon, London, 13/02/2008 13:13
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When is someone going to hold Livingstone to account over this? If his so-called Congestion Zone has in fact failed to do what it intended, at great expense, why are we still persisting with the experiment?
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 13/02/2008 13:10
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