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Tell us, Boris, how you'll stop jams when the C-charge extension goes
David Williams and Katharine Barney20 Feb 2009
Mayor Boris Johnson was under mounting pressure today to explain how he will tackle traffic congestion.
He has pledged to scrap the western extension zone to the congestion charge next year after a public consultation overwhelmingly called for it to go.
But experts warned today that its removal will lead to soaring traffic on key west London routes.
Critics say traffic speeds in the "old" zone have now fallen to pre-charging levels and warn that a financial "black hole" of up to £70million could spark a further round of bus fare rises.
Green campaigners and health experts also claim that scrapping the zone will lead to increased pollution and could put cyclists at risk from increased traffic.
The row coincides with the sixth anniversary of the launch of the original zone this week and with the second anniversary of the western extension - which stretches from Park Lane to Earl's Court.
Today conservation group the Knightsbridge Association called on Environment Secretary Hilary Benn to ensure London's air quality is not worsened by scrapping the extension.
Transport for London admits withdrawing the zone could see congestion rise by up to 25 per cent.
Association spokesman Simon Birkett said: "London's air quality is already breaking legal limits. Shutting down the western extension zone could make it worse, meaning big fines from Europe for the UK. We need to know how the Mayor will tackle this.
"If as a result of scrapping the zone vehicles are trapped in slow-moving traffic, emissions will be even worse."
But small businesses and residents are urging the Mayor not to backtrack on his decision, and say they are losing trade for every day the charging zone remains in place.
Six out of 10 London companies believe the congestion charge is harming their prospects and even want the original zone to be reconsidered, according to a survey from the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Green campaigners accuse business leaders of putting cash before the environment. London Assembly Green Party member Darren Johnson said: "The congestion charge has been an incredibly successful method of traffic reduction. Scrapping the extension will almost certainly lead to a sharp rise in traffic, more congestion, more air pollution.
"This is bad news not only for pedestrians and cyclists, but also for anyone travelling in London and everyone who breathes London's air." The party also said bus fares may have to rise to cope with a drop in income.
Neil Churchill, chief executive of Asthma UK, said: "Scrapping the extension will be a disaster for the health of 430,000 people in London whose asthma is triggered by traffic pollution."
The Knightsbridge Association is advising the Mayor to beat the increased pollution risk by introducing a new inner-city low emission zone. It is also calling for the central congestion charge to be switched to a "tag and beacon" scheme that would bill drivers according to the time of day and length of time spent in the zone.
TfL claims congestion will be kept under control by rephased traffic lights and the fact that motorcycles are now allowed into bus lanes.
It is working with Thames Water to reduce the impact of replacing miles of Victorian mains and said it would launch a scheme allowing roadworks to be "properly co-ordinated". A TfL spokesman said the plan to put 6,000 bikes on the streets for hire from 2010 would also help.
A spokesman for the Mayor said: "The Mayor is working with TfL on a range of measures to reduce emissions. Moreover, our focus is firmly on ...encouraging Londoners to swap car use for public transport, cycling, and walking."
Differing views on the congestion charge
Yuliya Zakharenko, 34
My Favourite Thing clothes shop, Kensington Church Street
“The congestion charge has made the street really quiet. Not a lot of people just come in off the street to browse the shop.
I probably get 30 per cent fewer customers than I would get if there was no charge. I'm not sure it would have been possible to survive without my pool of customers because the recession coupled with the congestion charge makes things extremely difficult.”
Eileen Trippier, 59
Kensington Lighting Company shop, Kensington Church Street.
“We take so many calls from people who ask if we are in the congestion zone. When we tell them we are, it really puts them off. I'm delighted the Mayor has moved to scrap the charge, but it needs to be done immediately. Next year may be too late.”
Alyson Lawrence, 48
Lev Antiques, Kensington Church Street
“We have 25 per cent fewer customers than we did before the charge came into place. Unfortunately, I live just outside the congestion zone and it is incredibly inconvenient for me. I often have to ferry antiques around by public transport.”
David Powell
Transport campaigner, Friends of the Earth
“The London congestion charge, backed by massive investment in public transport, has slashed carbon dioxide emissions and improved air quality in the city. The western extension stopped 30,000 cars going into the area every day, as people opted for greener alternatives like buses, cycling and walking.”
Steve McNamara
London Taxi Drivers Association
“When the western extension zone came in, levels of traffic in the old, central charging zone worsened by 10-15 per cent as west London residents who had previously got buses or cabs into central London drove their cars instead, as they now had residents' discounts. When it goes, traffic in the western area will be a bit worse but not much overall, we believe.”
Tim Hockney
Congestion expert, London First
“We would have preferred the western extension zone to have been scaled down to mornings only rather than being scrapped. We are concerned about the worsening of commuter through-traffic in west London and congestion hot spots developing on key routes when the extension zone goes.”
Reader views (38)
As a traffic engineer with 15 years experience working in the transport industry. I feel that the Congestion Charging Western Extension has been a major success. Traffic levels have dropped (30,000 vehicles removed every day entering the zone) and air pollution has reduced..Fact! Congestion levels haven't improved simply because companies like National Grid, Thames Water, EDF and Developers have undertaken major infrastructure upgrades. This has caused more roadworks, which in turn has reduced roadspace....Fact!
All you armchair expects need to stop reading the daily mail!
If we carry on encouraging cars as a viable form of transport, then congestion and pollution levels will increase. Public Transport is still the most popular and viable option for London's commuters. The network is already at tipping point, look at the areas around Hammersmith, A4, Marylebone Road to name a few.
Congestion charging is the only carrot and stick option for London!
- John Raffs, London, 24/02/2009 22:27
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Firstly Boris has NOT carried out the OFFICIAL Consultation on the Western Extension of the C-Charge this will be done later this year!
What has done in typical Boris fashion is rush through a limited consultation that was directed at those who oppose the scheme and then announced a decision on that basis.
He has done the same on "A new bus for London" where instead of looking at the realities of bus travel in the 21st century (e.g all pre-paid fares thus no need for conductor) he ran a contest where a bus had to have an open platform to qualify! Thus loosing out on a real chance to look at Bus Design like those who worked for Lonon Transport used to do.
As for congestion you have two choices either limit use by a C-Charge or widen and upgrade roads to accomodate cars, going back to the old way will just bring back the day long gridlock Central London used to have.
As for shpkeepers well what business really arises from a line of parked cars most of which only had 1 occupant? Afterall you can only have 1 dinner or buy a few goods. Much better to have a bus stop with hundreds of potential customers boarding and alighting at all times.
As for Bus lanes well buses carry millions of passengers every day so why should they give way to a metal box with just one person?
Anyway, where will the money to withdrew the extension come from?
Finally, why were items like this not produced BEFORE the Mayoral election? Do we have the new owner to thank for this?
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 22/02/2009 16:10
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"Expert"? In who's opinion? Just because people claim to be an expert doesn't mean they know what they are talking about.
- Chris, London, 22/02/2009 10:15
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act now and give 50% off the c charge boris, charge only £4 till u scrap it. every little helps.
- Malk, chingford, 21/02/2009 13:47
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Who are the 'experts' involved? Wasn't it proven that congestion charge 1 made NO DIFFERENCE WHATSOEVER to the volume of traffic in Central London?
- Marianne, SW France
In a word no. In more words, the volume has remained around 15% lower than prior to the charge, although congestion has gradually risen back to pre charge levels. Opponents of the charge fail to explain how encouraging the extra 15% back into the zone won't make congestion any worse.
- Simon, London, 21/02/2009 13:33
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We have to look at this from a large perspective - not just from the short term financial interests of local businesses or car drivers. What is best for London and Londoners?
What we really need to do is redesign mobility around the city in a way that helps everyone get from A to B, and at the same time, makse our common streets safe for children to play and breathe.
We can come up with some new ideas if we are willing to challenge our old ideas.
I do agree with the members of the Knightsbridge Association, that the poisoned air quality needs to be dealt with. A huge increase of electric cars will help. We also would welcome electric black cabs - I understand that ageing old diesel taxis account for around 30% of the polluting fumes.
I await the Mayor's response.
- Blake Ludwig, London, UK, 21/02/2009 11:51
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Who are the 'experts' involved? Wasn't it proven that congestion charge 1 made NO DIFFERENCE WHATSOEVER to the volume of traffic in Central London?
- Marianne, SW France, 21/02/2009 11:42
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The Green lobby seems to be labouring under the misapprehension that car drivers waste endless time sitting in endless traffic queues for fun!
Wake up and smell the diesel fumes.
- Peter, Bristol, UK, 21/02/2009 11:00
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The claims about reduction in CO2 and air pollution from the congestion charge are simply not true. There has been no significant improvement in air quality and some pollutants have actually risen. Likewise claims about the impact on asthma sufferers are simply nonsense and not borne out by the facts, or by any scientific study.
All congestion charges are anathema to anyone who has studied the evidence, or looked at the dismal economics of these schemes. It's just claptrap masquerading as environmental policy.
- Roger Lawson, London, UK, 21/02/2009 09:46
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Tell us, Boris, how you'll stop car jams when the C-charge extension goes?
S'easy, no one will be able to afford to own one, let alone run it, with the financial melt down that's about to descend upon us all!
GERONIMO
- Geronimo, LONDON MIDDLESEX, 21/02/2009 03:02
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dump all stealth taxes
- Neil, London UK, 21/02/2009 01:07
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All this idea that more cars equals more congestion is a myth created by TFL. They have destroyed the infrastructure and mis-managed the whole system.... The C-charge is just another tax on motorist.
Here's what can be done to make traffic run smoother:
Remove the bus lanes.
Widened the roads (which was narrowed for the charge)
Enforce penalties for cars/buses that obstruct the yellow box junction.
Strictly enforce penalties for vehicles that park illegally.
Remove the bendy bus.
Rephase all the traffic lights.
Plan road works better!!!
- Tp, London, 20/02/2009 19:26
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You can build all the roads you want and still cause worse congestion when you put traffic flow as a low priority. There have certainly not been enough new roads built to compensate for all the restriction in flow in side streets, let alone lost road space due to bus lanes. If you want a decent flow then start to build a network of tunnels such as those used in Brussels.
- Keith Walker, Stafford, UK, 20/02/2009 18:52
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They should get the parking charge introduced by Westminster coucil abolished urgently before all these poeple get back to their cars and do not forget the borough of Kensington and Chelsea which also charges now for parking bikes and scooters.
- Thierry, Balham, London, 20/02/2009 18:41
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Keith from Sutton... Doh! We've been building roads since the 1970s and every single one has got congested eventually. More roads just makes more cars and less space for walkers and pedestrians. Cities built only for the car are miserable places to live - look at Los Angeles. I'd rather London became more like Amsterdam myself. It needs new ideas, not the same old tired mantra: build more roads
- Fluffy_Mike, London, 20/02/2009 17:59
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Congestion has been caused by local policy which has taken road space away; such as bus lanes and turn only lanes and the nonsense of calling legitimate alternative routes a silly name, 'rat runs', and closing them. What do you get when you take away road space and force traffic to the same intersections and junctions? Doh!! Congestion. It aint brain surgery!! Reverse all of these policies and see the traffic flow Boris.
- Keith Peat, Sutton UK., 20/02/2009 16:49
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Besides alternative transportation-means,there is only one way to reduce traffic congestion,ie put more people in cars..a good idea would be to organise this in special agencies,on the model of the german Mitfahrzentrale",where people get together,decide upon an itinerary & share the costs of the journey...using the internet to implement those projects would boost up economic savings...
- Andre, switzerland, 20/02/2009 16:45
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Order Westminster council to end the parking charges for motorcycles and scooters. It's cheaper to park a car for 10 minutes and do some shopping than to park a scooter.
Absolute madness!
- Chris 'Ogri' Webb, London UK, 20/02/2009 16:43
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Good grief I agree with a 'cyclist'! Problem will sort itself out.
Why must the lefty nannies running the nanny state we have, always feel thay 'must be doing something about' everything.
Typical Helen Lovejoy's (for Simpsons afficionado's) "won't someone puhleese think of the children'!
Stop bleating!
- Ethan, UK, 20/02/2009 16:32
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I live in the western extension and certainly don't want it removed. The streets are cleaner and less congested so I actually feel like walking to my local shops. These whinging shopkeepers above should bear that in mind: how many times will someone who lives miles away drive to your shop to buy something versus the local people like me who now feel happier walking their own local streets? And, yes, Boris, how many decades until you actually start rephasing some traffic lights and getting rid of badly timed roadworks. New York and Sydney have discovered an amazing thing: the nightime roadworks. Try it.
- Harry, Kensington. London, 20/02/2009 16:14
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I use my car because I intensely dislike sharing buses, trams and trains with unwashed scumbags who have no idea of how to behave in public. Until this issue is sorted, I will continue to drive my 17mpg gas guzzler.
- The Gene Genie, Croydon, 20/02/2009 16:04
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How about taking all illegal cars off Londons roads, and not just in the "nice" boroughs.
Have a clampdown in Peckham, Nouveax Croix (New Cross)Bow, Whitechapel, Camberwell, Woolwich etc.
- P I Staker, London, 20/02/2009 15:58
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I work in a school in the zone where Boris Johnson wants to cancel the charge.I have worked there for 26 years and have seen improvement in the trafic since the congestion charge was enforced.Parents do no come with their Chelsea tractors any longer, therefore making it safer for the children when leaving school in the evening.
I am dreading seeing the bad senario again if the charge id dropped next year!
I do understand that some shop keepers may be inconvenienced by the charge, but they can have a low emission car and may be they should receive some help with their rates to compensate for the loss in revenue.
Something has to be done for the air and trafic in the area, as the health of many is at risk in the pollution.
- Marie, London, 20/02/2009 15:38
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if London becomes so congested you can't drive anywhere - won't people stop driving anyway?
- Cyclist, london, 20/02/2009 14:29
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Green issues have already put the skids under the motor industry in this country. Sure there would be plenty of places to park but the people who lived where they were would have moved out and left London derelict.
- Albert Hall, hove england, 20/02/2009 14:18
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Traffic jams in London are exactly what is called for. The more the capital is clogged up with cars the more chances are that people will switch to bicycles, buses, trains, roller skates (ice skates and skies in the winter), pogo sticks and those bouncy rubber things with ears things to get around on. Perhaps . . . even walking! Now there's a thought. Why they are walking they may even look in shop windows and perhaps buy something. Way to go Boris. You are a genius.
- Albert Hall, hove england, 20/02/2009 14:12
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As a resident in the congestion charge - it has not worked and was class orientated attack by Ken. The £70m black hole- down to the cost of installing and running the system which never made any real return on investment - it should be down to Ken to pay.
- Jeremy E, London, 20/02/2009 14:06
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cities like delhi and ahmedabad in india have converted all their buses and taxis to CNG - which doesn't produce toxic particulates the way diesel does. the difference after conversion is striking. why can't london, a much richer city, do this?
- Fred, london, 20/02/2009 13:19
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It is typical of the Modern Tory Party. They adopt the popular line and have no plan B. Cameron is exactly the same on Banking Bonuses. Lots of hot air but no proposals to address the problem.
- B Bristow, Andover England, 20/02/2009 13:17
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What is needed is a massive crackdown on aggressive and dangerous driving. This would raise enormous amounts of revenue, and further increase trade from north to south and east to west in London, with the influx of cyclists into areas they previously were intimidated from visiting, by violent driving.
The Western Charge could have been meaningful if it covered Grosvenor Road and Vauxhall Bridge Road, where most of the pollution was generated. Why should through traffic get off free? Road freight and transport is already massively subsidised by comparison with rail, river and canal. Thus the dichotomy between charge and no-charge is exaggerated somewhat.
Also, the Chelsea tractors used to get in to town for free which now they cannot, making the central zone more effective.
I tend to side with the Greens on many issues, but the need to preserve a local community and shopping infrastructure MUST take precedence here, because without it, environmentally-friendly living is unrealistic as drive-shopping will be built into our lifestyles. What is needed is a reduction in residents only zones, together with a price rise of 900%, so £100 per year becomes a more realistic £1000 per year for residents. Then, a massive increase in short stay parking, on-street near shops. This will add custom to local shops, cause more of local money to be spent locally, yet discourage car ownership and thus car use overall in London, resulting in net environmental benefits.
- Reg, London, 20/02/2009 13:08
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If these "experts" are so good at their job, how come they didn't predict that the CC would be failure, which it demonstrably is? Similarly, if they are so "expert", what is their golden bullet to cut congestion? Their usual mantra is to get us out of our cars onto overcrowded, overpriced public transport, which is not very tempting.
Beware of anyone labelled "expert".
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland, 20/02/2009 13:04
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All he needs to do is to rephase the ridiculous traffic lights and make sure roadworks are completed on time.
- Dave Markham, London, 20/02/2009 12:56
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Can you hear violins playing? Existing congestion is made much worse by loony policies like removing car parking spaces (local 'green' transport plans that had to be tailored to meet the requirements of red Ken's TFL) or the senseless pedestrianisation of Trafalgar Square.
Everyone I know wishes Boris the best of luck in getting London moving again.
- Brian, London, 20/02/2009 12:53
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well seeing as the congestion charge has FAILED in ALL of his original intentions, isn't a bit rich to talk about the problems of winding back the scheme?
surely the current landscape would have to have been improved, before there was anything to lose?
is it a necessary condition of joining a green lobby group that you have to fail logic class?
- Scott, London, 20/02/2009 12:15
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The Greeen Campaigners and the Government alike don't understand the dynamics of traffic congestion. It has been empirically proved that congestion has not declined since the introduction of the C-charge, and journey times have not fallen. Building bigger roads also doesn't improve congestion.What matters is the total number of people who wish to travel,the available options and cost. The individual will find the best 'fit' for himself or herself.So that when one category becomes intolerable he/she will shift to another. Unfortunately for some, eg a commuter from Colchester,there is no alterative and so he is at the mercy of the rail companies. I'm sorry, but if we were all 'green' we'd live in a field under a haystack and never go to work. I just ain't gona happen!
- Jeremiah, London, 20/02/2009 11:55
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Easy, he must treble or quadruple his effort against illegal cars and there drivers. Very simple, really. Where there's a will there's a way and those with moral fibre will make it happen. Something Nu-Lying-Loony-Labour forgot.
- Mike,, London, 20/02/2009 11:47
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Why should Boris have to have a plan 'B' for abandoning the Western congestion charge?. The Central London charge has made little, if any, difference to the journey times for those travelling in and out of the congestion zone. Small shopkeepers and traders have felt the negative impact with a drop in their business incomes. The charge was, and still is, just another Labour stealth tax on the private motorist.
- Pete, South London, 20/02/2009 11:04
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Nothing on cleaner buses from the green lobby also nothing on the re-phasing of traffic lights and various other devices used to slow traffic and cause air pollution. Boris was elected on a policy of consulting and then acting on that consultation for the Western Extension. This he has done and if the holier-than-thou anti-car brigade don't like it they should have run a better campaign during the mayoral election.
- Jim, London, 20/02/2009 10:51
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