Morning:
9°c
More pressure on Boris to scrap C-charge extension
Pippa Crerar, City Hall Editor25.11.08
BORIS Johnson faced fresh pressure today to scrap the western extension of the congestion charge.
The Mayor has pledged to abide by the result of the residents consultation, which is expected this Friday.
One council in the area has described the zone as "west London's Berlin Wall" and is understood to want it axed irrespective of the result.
Hammersmith and Fulham, just outside the zone, said the £123million extension, launched in February last year, had failed to tackle congestion.
Westminster council also said the scheme had not solved traffic or pollution problems in central London.
Both councils claimed it cut off businesses from their customers and residents from vital services as well as being an unfair £8-a-time levy.
However, Kensington and Chelsea, where residents have had a 90 per cent discount and been able to drive into central London for free, acknowledged there had been some advantages.
There is widespread speculation that locals - who were asked whether the scheme should stay, be scrapped or changed - will decide to dump it.
But some are worried that the Mayor, who would lose about £40million a year, could try to "fudge" the result and keep the scheme in some form.
It was unclear exactly how Mr Johnson could do this unless residents opted for the "third way" choice.
This could mean abolishing the charge in the middle of the day, giving residents a 100 per cent discount or introducing accounts to make payment easier.
One insider said: "I'm pretty confident the results will show that residents are in favour of scrapping it. What Boris then does, well, that's a mystery. There would be a substantial loss of revenue and he has already had to cut back his capital programme. And he's looking for money to pay for things like the bike hire scheme and free travel for the elderly in the morning rush hour."
The earliest Mr Johnson could scrap the scheme, if he took that route, would be the middle of 2010, unless he followed the legally dubious option of turning off the cameras. He is being advised by policy chief Sir Simon Milton, a former Westminster council leader whose opposition to the scheme has softened, and transport commissioner Peter Hendy, who is concerned about lost revenue.
Stephen Greenhalgh, leader of Hammersmith and Fulham council, said: "The vast majority of local residents have consistently said they want this failed experiment to be scrapped. The western extension of the C-charge is west London's Berlin Wall, cutting businesses off from their customers and residents off from vital services. To make matters worse congestion in London is back to square one. We did not ask for it. It has not worked. And it needs to be removed." However, Daniel Moylan, transport spokesman for Kensington and Chelsea council, said: "Advantages include lower volumes of traffic, easier parking... On the other hand, we're aware that it's a payment and therefore a real cost for our residents."
Reader views (18)
Strange how the charge has been scrapped but opinion is so divided.
If you look on Kit Malthouse own blog you will see a majority in favour of keeping the western charge. If he can't even engineer the vote to support what he wants then what hope is there?
- Gary, London, UK
Don't forget us in the South Boris! The congestion charge has been a tax on me driving to my local hospital, the post office and the bank where I live in Bermondsey. Why should we still be penalised if the richer West Londoners gets let off their CC charge!
- David, UK
Listen London,
If you want to keep the highstreets and want people to use the capital in these times of recession and need the support then SCRAP THE BLOODY LOT NOW ..... Its greed greed greed by the councils and its not just LONDON?.
I cannot believe we have this pay pay pay all the time and every where you go in towns and cities, it is the cost of parking, charging, and everything else that goes with it thats Killing the Highstreet and more people go out of town shopping .... FACT?.
- John L., Scarborough N.YKS. U.K.
This is no time to be scaring shoppers away from high streets, no matter how they arrive.
If Boris wants to see any high streets in London survive this recession he needs to scrap the entire charge now.
The small amount of income lost from dropping the charge will be nothing compared to the lost income from business rates through shop closures if the charge is kept.
Time to drop the barriers to shopping Boris, and do it whilst it can still make a difference.
- Lawrence, London
Make cleaner fuel a priority, Boris. Especially for buses and taxis, the life-blood flowing through London's veins. A reduction in public transport would add up to a "C" charge throughout Greater London.
- Peter Seekings-Foster, Mildenhall, Suffolk.
Yes, switch the cameras off and get two advantages.
1) No more C charge. It hs achieved nothing.
2) It flustrates the Home officer`s mad scheme to put all our car journeys onto a "big brother" database.
- Clive Allen, Brighton, UK
Boris cant even afford the vital upgrade to the South London Line so where would get the money to change or scrap the c-charge. I reckon he needs to bothincrease the charge and extend the zone to include places like Wandsworth so he can fund the South London upgrade.
It also looks likely there may be no funds to upgrade the piccadilly line so loosing a source of revenue is the last thing he should do.
In fact given that the government has insisted that Manchester introduce a charge to get funding for metrolink extensions it would only be fair to reduce funds to London if the western extension was scrapped.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
I agree with the comment about Diesel. I live on a busy bus route and the residue of particulates that I regularly clean up in my flat is quite frightening. We are all breathing this in. However, I do not think the Congestion Charge should be scrapped, if anything road pricing should be introduced on a larger scale and the money used to invet in better and cleaner public transport.
- Jon Vanner, Hoxton London
The CONgestion charge has done nothing to reduce the level of traffic in West London. As a resident I can say that nothing has changed. Remember it is YOU the citizen who is being unfairly charged to drive on the roads you have already paid for via your road fund licence. Have none of it. Boris should keep his word and scrap it, if nothing else just to show that nasty little commie Ken the contempt he deserves.
- Jimbob, Kensington
Scrap it.
- Ambientboy, London
I ride and work in London 4 days a week. I agree with Nigel the airs better since the c charge 4x4s in city centres. Ken was right 25 pounds a day they should be charged.
- C May, Bromley
The real problem in London is PM10 from Diesel, whilst many modern Diesel cars have particulate filters lots of Taxi's, Buses & Lorries do not! The Germans recognise this and ban cars that don't meet the more recent EURO pollution standards from entering, this has always seemed much more logical to me.
This of course presumes that air quality is one of the key drivers for the scheme… but as we all know that never was the case.
The whole ‘C’ charge scheme is based on a muddle of conflicting aims and half truths… one minute it’s about congestion the next its environment. If anything the scheme has increased congestion and pollution in certain parts of the city… the ‘free’ routes are always choked with traffic that’s moving at speed that guarantees high levels of pollution.
- Jonathan, London
Whatever the merits of the Westward extension, the C-charge in central London HAS worked wonders for traffic and air pollution. I used to experience several days each year when I got tight-chested, bordering on asthmatic. Since the C-charge started, not once has this happened again.
Also the bus has become a sensible means of transport, everywhere except Oxford Street, where there are bus jams because about three times too many buses all try to run along it. (Boris, are you allowed to dictate the routes to the operators? )
- Nigel, London
He scrapped punishing Chelsea tractors with an higher c charge (yes Boris you really are concerned about the environment, not)and now he's letting the west london oiks off again...Simple, charge cars but not small businesses and bring back the extra charge for those ridiculous and dangerous 4x4 snotty nose kid carriers...
- Ban4x4'S, London
A fudge didn't bring the Berlin Wall down. What brought it down was citizens' resolute determination to get rid of a morally reprehensible affliction. Ignore Kensington and Chelsea vested interests, Boris. Scrap the extension.
- Alex, London
TFL's revenue predictions are much hyped. Read their own small print for August and you'll see that they were conveniently 'estimated'.
The extension zone was introduced against a large popular feeling, and Boris should not be blamed for losing the filthy lucre that should never have been collected.
There is still room for the GLA to make other economies, such as scrapping highly polluting fireworks displays.
- Jools, London
Boris if you think you have a different programme from Ken, Do not only srap the C- Charge extension. Scrap the entire charges .. then i will call you your own man.
- Alex Lisinge, Putney London
It should be scrapped. Boris made it along with reintroducing the routemaster, one of the main planks of his election manifesto. Boris please don't backslide now.
- Edwin Sheppard, Pinner UK
