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Will you scrap the C-charge, Boris? Let me brood on it
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard17 Dec 2008
BORIS JOHNSON is considering scrapping the entire congestion zone to boost the London economy, he announced today.
The Mayor has already said he will get rid of the western extension zone, but has now pledged to look at abolishing the charge covering central London.
When asked about the issue at today's Mayor's Question Time he said he would "brood" on the matter but wanted to be convinced it would not have an adverse effect on congestion.
Tory Assembly member Victoria Borwick said: "You have listened to Londoners once, will you listen to them again."
Mr Johnson also said he would consider extending the congestion charge-free period for an extra week before Christmas to encourage shoppers, as well as putting pressure on boroughs to introduce free parking over the festive period.
He said: "We will certainly look into it. It's a very good idea. There will be a free period from 25 December to 1 January. We are looking at other ways of encouraging people to come and buy things. As for the congestion charge, let me brood on it. Let me think about that. I'm almost tempted to ask for a show of hands.
"There is a problem with congestion in this city and people twisting their steering wheels into pretzels. Before we did anything I would have to be assured congestion would not be affected."
However, Mr Johnson came under renewed fire over his plans to put up bus and Tube fares in the New Year.
Leader of the Labour group Len Duvall accused him of deceiving Londoners by focusing on freezing of the council tax and "pretending" they would be better off. Instead, Mr Duvall argued, the average resident would be saving just £6 a year on the GLA tax freeze, but paying an extra £90 on travel.
But Mr Johnson said every Londoner would be worse off if the extra money was not there to be invested in the transport infrastructure. He was also criticised for leaving the cost of making the pensioners freedom pass valid 24 hours a day to the boroughs.
Reader views (17)
Jon, London are you sure you live in London?! Boris Johnson is a cyclist himself. I saw him whizzing down Fleet St at lunchtime the other day.
Re the congestion charge. I don't know what the best answer is. The roads in town are still congested even with the charge. My partner works in the West End and has a lot of heavy equipment. Is he expected to carry stepladders and toolboxes on trains and tubes in rush hour. He has no choice really but to drive in and pay the charge and also huge fees for carparking. I'm sure there are many others like him. How about a charge for shoppers and commuters who don't really need to drive in but a way of avoiding the charge if it's for the only option? Might be hard to police this one though...
- Lisa, London, 19/12/2008 14:29
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Losing the congestion charge would be an absolute disaster for London. The buses wouldn't be able to get through, so people would stop using them which would put more cars on the road and no one would get anywhere.
- John Golding, London, 18/12/2008 15:43
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Losing the congestion charge would be an absolute disaster for London. The buses wouldn't be able to get through, so people would stop using them which would put more cars on the road and no one would get anywhere.
- John Golding, London, 18/12/2008 15:36
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Congestion charging was introduced after a campaign by BUSSINESS LEADERS for someone tto do something about the daily gridlock that central London sufferred and the billions this cost to industry each year.
Ken Livingstone was the only politician brave enough to stand up to the motoring lobby and introduce congestion charging as part of a package to upgrade public transport.
As for Boris talking about scrapping the original zone he does not even have a mandate to scrap the western zone. In fact his decision on the western zone is flawed and you will find ANOTHER consultation (the real one) will have to take place in the new year.
The fact is most Londoners dont use a car and given the present financial climate those who do may soon start giving them up, especially 2nd cars.
If Boris scraps the whole scheme the government should SCRAP Crossrail and spend the money saved in Scotland or other parts of the country where they want old railways re-opened for sometimes a few hundred thousand pounds.
Business will just leave London and head for Europe where proper provision in the form of Trams, Light Railways and even cycle-ways are made.
Remember, oil is still running out and before long it will be heading north towards $200 a barrel. Then how will you get to work?
It this is because less than 500 more people voted for Boris instead of Ken! (Check the GLA website.)
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 18/12/2008 12:33
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Keep the charge and CHARGE all CYCLIST £8.00 to enter London as they also cause congestion on the roads and are more of a danger (no lights , cycling on pavements, jumping red lights, no warning when approaching etc)to those like myself that walk almost everywhere in London and also make them pay to park. Then after 1 year ask them for their views.
- Den, London, 18/12/2008 10:21
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The congestion charge barely costs the expense of paying Capita to run it. And its not as if the Capita staff are Londoners, they're down in Bristol or somewhere.
By having a congestion charge, all we are doing is subsidising jobs in Bristol.
As Brian below points out, congestion is self-regulating. Nobody is going to start commuting into London just because the congestion charge has been removed, as they still need somewhere to park, and parking costs way in excess of the £8 congestion charge.
Nobody can deny that parking is already very effectively regulated in central London, so the only conclusion that can be drawn is the the congestion charge is a dogmatic anti-car stance by Livingstone.
If you really want to reduce congestion, simply ban all cars from central London. The fact that the charge was levied at a 'bearable' rate is testement to the fact that it was a tax, and nothing else.
- George, London, 18/12/2008 09:16
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Jon If you get out of London don't came to my town.We do not want Livingston supporters putting us back to the horse and cart days like he did with London
- Mike, Woking, 17/12/2008 18:53
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The Kengestion Charge was brought in under a false prospectus and has led to consumers being charged extra for trade visits and deliveries. It also failed to raise the hyped sums of money, even after Ken went back on his word and upped it to £8.
Congestion is largely self-regulating, but is aggravated by daft TFL policies. I wouldn't be surprised if Boris identifies some very cost-effective ways of getting London's roads moving again.
- Brian, London, 17/12/2008 17:53
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For heaven's sake, someone, stop him before he completely ruins the place - first he floods the streets with hundreds of buses because of his bendy obsession, now he's going to flood them with cars. How does he think London's streets can usefully be enhanced by motor traffic? Cue another dodgy 'consultation', perhaps? You can't trust a word Boris says. Official. He's a menace, and needs to be stopped.
- Tom, London, UK, 17/12/2008 17:16
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Jon, London
You obviously know nothing about Boris, who is often seen cycling around London. He will do for London what Ken failed to do.
Scrapping the CONgetstion Tax, which isn't reducing congestion, will be the best thing he has ever done.
- Adam, Harrow, UK, 17/12/2008 17:15
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Jon, London
"Boris Johnson is a typical Tory, who hates cyclists,"
What are you talking about, where have you been living the last few years. Boris is a cyclist himself! He's always out and about on his bike in the capital.
- Damian, London, 17/12/2008 17:03
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Go for it Boris, this "global warning thing" is but a fashionable political accessary !
- Brian Hughes, North Wales, 17/12/2008 16:56
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I dearly hope that Boris is booted out of City Hall in 2012.If you ask me,he should lower Tube fares and raise the C-Charge to £10
- H.J.Jones, London UK, 17/12/2008 16:49
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Its an excellent idea, But I get the feeling that there's some other reason for scrapping the C-charge. The public transport system 'Poor as it is' can't offer value for money service anyway. Or is it just that people are just fed up with being ripped of from every angle possible, in one of the worlds most expensive capitals...
- Terry Groves, Horley Surrey, 17/12/2008 16:38
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Oh My God. What damage have we done by electing this man?
- Tim, London, 17/12/2008 15:56
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if the central congestion charge get scrap people be using there cars more and course air pollution, it not good for people who have asthma.
- Andy, London, 17/12/2008 15:18
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Boris Johnson is a typical Tory, who hates cyclists, pedestrians, public transport and restraints on the car, whether road humps or parking restrictions. He is dragging this city back into the dark ages. Petrolheads can gloat, but the future will be more congestion, not less. Personally I plan to join the exodus of the middle classes, desperate to get out of the most car-clogged pedestrian-and-cycling unfriendly city in Europe.
- Jon, London, 17/12/2008 15:10
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