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Council urges Mayor to abolish C-charge extension before 2010
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard01.12.08
Westminster council has called on Mayor Boris Johnson to exercise "emergency powers" to scrap the congestion charge zone's western extension immediately.
Council leaders argue the recession could be classed as a "major event" under the GLA Act 1999 which would allow him to make such a change.
They also want more charge-free days in the central zone to boost shopping.
Mr Johnson announced his intention this week to ditch the extension - introduced by his predecessor Ken Livingstone - but legal complications were likely to keep the extension in force until 2010.
However, Westminster's cabinet member for environment and transport, Councillor Danny Chalkley, said: "We hope that the Mayor will now extend the usual charge-free days during the Christmas period to help Christmas shoppers and businesses during these difficult times, and start consultation on the variation to the Mayor's transport strategy so that the western extension is removed long before 2010."
Stall and shop owners in Kensington and Chelsea, and Hammersmith and Fulham said the extension had crippled them in recent years. But others warned that the action may have come too late.
Daniel Moylan, deputy leader of Kensington and Chelsea council, said: "Some businesses will welcome the decision and some residents will welcome the decision. However, there are also some residents who will regret it as they benefit from the residents' reduction.
"But we will be studying the consultation document and questioning the logic of keeping the central zone."
A five-week public consultation attracted nearly 28,000 responses, with 67 per cent of individual respondents and 86 per cent of businesses in favour of scrapping the western zone.
Nineteen per cent wanted to keep the extension, and 12 per cent wanted to modify it.
Hammersmith and Fulham praised the decision to scrap it after residents complained their roads had become "car parks" as drivers left vehicles on the edge of the zone to avoid the charge.
Council leader Stephen Greenhalgh said: "This is a brave decision by the Mayor who has listened to Londoners in the face of tough resistance from TfL."
Traders in Portobello Road, in Kensington and Chelsea, said they were thrilled by the announcement after the extension contributed to 40 stalls and 16 shops going out of business.
But the decision provoked fury from Green groups.
Reader views (13)
Nick Warner: The consultation was open to anyone, including people who don't live in London. It was widely publicized. I responded to the online version and I don't live anywhere near west London.
- Ross, SW19, UK
Yes go for it Boris, dont worry about the green 's. This little island can go as green as you like. IT will not make one bit of difference to the world climate. As all of the middle east and far east countries, plus the america's will continue to churn out their stuff for years and years. So you greens should go of to china or other places and strut your stuff. You only do it here cause you can. Oh and by the way it is fricking freezing where I live right now. Climate warming freck off.
- Ebin Donk, yo1 6ds
This is the same Danny Chalkley who is charging motorbikes to park in Westminster - he is being highly hypocritical and is purely interested in revenue - the charges he can reap from parking and tickets will be far higher than any C-Charge and he knows it. Why not ask him why he seems so keen to have cars come in, but so reluctant to encourage bikes?
- Charlie, London
Scrap it! The thing does obviously not work and the taxes could be saved.
- Georgie, Islington, London
The Congestion Charge was a big con anyway, we all now that. Ken did not have any real evidence that the center of London was getting that congested so he invented it by narrowing the roads, extending Bus lanes and installing virtualy impossible road markings at the end of the Bus Lane while trying to turn left, blocking off roads altogether and rephasing the traffic lights. And a hundred and one other annoying little systems that the local councils invented to suck up to Ken.
Whats the truth?. The truth is the traffic has become heavier, pollution has gone up because traffic is not moving therefore using more fuel to cover the same distance you would travel at a decent speed rather than just crawling along (and before you greenies and do gooders say that speed kills, I'm talking about no more than 25-30 mph on main routes)And last but not least, the amount of Buisnesses that have gone to the wall because of the passing trade they had before the C-Charge.
So come on Boris scrap all the C-Charge. And give us motorists and the rest of London a nice big Crimbo Present God we all need it.
- Roy Alchin, london
- Mark Burton, You are right about pavement widening. The half wit Lib Dems who run Sutton council are the same. They widened the footpath in Throwley Way, Sutton to about 4 metres, effectively reducing what used to be 3 lanes of traffic down to a single lane towards the top of the town. This now causes huge traffic jams to get into the town car parks. They then have the nerve to claim something needs to be done about all the traffic. No doubt they would love their own little congestion charge to spend on all their 'green' weird policies.
- Pete, Sutton UK
Well done Boris for getting rid of the Western C Charge extension. Now it's time to complete the job and get rid of the origional C Charge Zone. WE all know that the congestion charge was always about the money, this was proved to me when i lived on Southwark Street in 2003 - not long after the charge was introduced what did Livingstone do, HE WIDENED THE PAVEMENTS effectively narrowing the main Waterloo to London bridge through route which yes, caused more congestion!!.So come on Boris scrap the rest of it.
- Mark Burton, St Ives Cambs
Scrap it NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- P I Staker, London
Westminster council must be looking forward to the parking charges and penalties they can raise - they are no friend of motorists.
- Peter, London
A cancellation with immediate effect would provide a well-targeted and much needed fiscal stimulus.
- Blackstone Coke, London
Why wait till 2010 - cant they just turn the cameras off?
- Sally, London
Boris was elected by the whole of London and should have had the courage to say he wanted to get rid of the Congestion charge in West London when elected instead of putting it to a plebiscite of just those residents - London belongs to us all and this measure takes us back to the failed policy of "Laissez faire" that most cities in the world are suffering from. From the abolition of the 25 pounds charge for over-large vehicles to this contraction of the C-Charge zone Boris is demonstrating to the rest of us that Gold-plated - Overly large and pampered West Londoners have a veto over the rest of us - especially if they drive a Porsche Cayenne!
- Nick Warner, London, England
So traders think people will now be willing to dine al fresco on clogged streets, put up with the difficulties of finding a parking space on-street, and sit in traffic on their way home?
These issues were all there while the congestion charge was in place, and will only get exacerbated by its removal. The charge has been a soft target for people looking for something to blame for their struggling businesses.
Once it's gone, people will find that their business doesn't improve by a huge amount, and traders will just move on to blaming Westfield for their trade failing to improve.
How about traders innovate to deal with changing market conditions rather than look for something to blame? Try differentiating your products from the competition, offering added value or services that larger traders don't. Try free weekend delivery (by bike maybe, for small items), and enhanced, personalised customer service.
Small traders are crucial to the capital - but this doesn't excuse them from the need to innovate.
- Mark Lee, Vauxhall
