London's western extension congestion charging zone could be killed off under consultation plans launched by Mayor Boris Johnson today.

The £123 million scheme was launched by Ken Livingstone in the face of major public opposition in February last year.

Today Mr Johnson delivered a key manifesto pledge by unveiling the five-week consultation that will begin this September.

He said he would ask Londoners whether the zone - which was extended to cover parts of Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster - should continue or be altered.

The consultation will be open to residents, businesses and stakeholders across the capital.

The Mayor said he "particularly" wanted to hear from those living inside the western zone and around its borders. If the consultation reveals that Londoners want to scrap the scheme it could be dismantled by the end of next year.

Mr Johnson said: "The previous Mayor made the decision to introduce the western extension in the face of overwhelming opposition.

"Unlike my predecessor I am going into this with an open mind and this will be a genuine consultation.

"It is high time that politicians listened to the people whom they represent and I am proud to keep the pledge to hold a further consultation.

"Londoners can be assured that, whether they stand for or against, this time their opinions will be respected and we will abide by the results."

Mr Johnson told the Standard: "This is not a referendum, so it won't be limited to a 'do you or don't you want to keep it?'

"Yes, there will be the option to scrap it but there will also be other options including keeping it and changing certain aspects of it, like whether it should operate all day.

"But this will be an opportunity for everyone with experience of the extension to tell me whether they want to see it removed, improved or if they are simply unmoved."

The West London Residents Association, which fought against the western extension, renewed its plea for the scheme to go. Chairman Gordon Taylor said: "It has damaged trade and it forces residents to pay to drive on roads that were never congested."

Paul Watters, the AA's head of roads and transport policy, said: "Because residents in west London gained 90 per cent discounts on the congestion charge it meant that hundreds more people began driving into the 'old' congestion charging zone too. It boosted congestion immediately. It was a retrograde step."

Lauren Preteceille, of business group London First, said: "Congestion hurts business but so do badly designed road charging schemes.

"We are confident the Mayor will come up with a solution to see off gridlock without seeing off business at the same time."

But Jenny Jones, of the London Assembly Green Party, said: "The congestion charge has been successful in reducing traffic, reducing pollution and encouraging people to switch to public transport and cycling. There is every chance that people inside the extension zone will vote to keep it in place as they have now seen that it works."

Richard Bourn, spokesman for the Campaign for Better Transport, said: "It would be tragic if the scheme was scrapped. It makes very good sense."

After the consultation, Transport for London will produce a report for the Mayor, who will make a final decision on the scheme. Consultation details - including how to obtain response forms - will be posted at www.tfl.gov.uk this week.

Keep it

Richard Bourn - Campaign for Better Transport
London has become an example to cities around the world mainly because of the success of the congestion charge. Few now suggest that the original charge zone should be abandoned.

Traffic in the centre of London has decreased by 20 per cent, creating numerous other benefits. Bus use has grown by about a third, 43 per cent more people are cycling in the zone and around £120million is being raised - mostly for public transport and road safety expenditure.

In the first year of operation there was approximately a 16 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and similar falls in emissions of other air pollutants.

The charge has also been good for car and commercial vehicle drivers as journey times have become more reliable and costs due to delays have declined.

Critics' dire predictions never materialised. Traffic did not seize up on the border of the zone nor overspill into residential areas. Public transport not only coped but improved and business prospered. The London economy has grown recently at roughly twice the national rate. Recent congestion increases have been caused by roadworks, not by traffic creeping up again.

Data on the operation of the Western extension of the zone is more scarce - itself a reason not to act in haste. But TfL's forecasts about the impacts of the congestion charge have always been quite accurate.

The effects of the extension seem to have been as expected. Traffic is down by 10 to 15 per cent, congestion has fallen by a larger amount and bus services are again coping well. The conditions for David Cameron's and other cyclists' journeys to work are much improved.

Londoners who have visited cities in Switzerland, Holland, Germany and Denmark know what modern urban transport is like. Does London really want to abandon its new reputation for progressive transport and return to the days of traffic-dominated streets and clogged-up public transport?

Abolish it

Gordon Taylor - chairman, West London Residents Association
The Western Extension should be abolished for the significant damage it is doing to the lives of residents in west London and to its economy.

Ken Livingstone's decision to expand westwards was an entirely political one taken against the advice of senior transport advisers.

West London is overwhelmingly residential. Employment is 170,000 compared with 1.1 million in the central zone. In the residential streets - nearly 95 per cent of the street length in the extension - traffic flows freely.

Residents are having to pay to drive on uncongested roads. Traffic on the main roads could be dealt with by charging for the use of these roads only, and only when they are congested. The technology for this fairer system is well known.

While the original central zone has failed, with congestion back to pre-charge levels, TfL claims the C-charge keeps out 70,000 vehicles per day. In the Western extension, 58,000 drivers have the 90 per cent charge discount. Many drive into central London for just 80p. Either the Western Extension or the discount has to go.

Many outside the zone need to bring their vehicles into the extension every day to go about normal business. These are the worst-hit, having to pay a tax of upwards of £2,000 a year to do so.

Evidence shows many shops have lost significant business due to the extension. Jobs have also been lost.

The new referendum should cover Wandsworth, Hammersmith and Fulham, Acton and Kensal Rise and the question should be simple: Do you approve of the abolition of the Western Extension? Yes or No.

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