Congestion Charging Moving West?  

Mayor Seeks Resident's Views On Proposed Extension to Charging Zone

Transport of London (TfL) have announced the start of the public consultation on the Mayor's proposal to extend the congestion-charging zone in central London.

The ten-week long consultation will include a leaflet drop to 3.3 million households, 250,000 businesses and 1400 key stakeholders throughout London asking for their comments.

The proposal is to extend the existing charging zone to include the area to the west of the current central London charging zone, broadly bounded by Harrow Road, Scrubs Lane, West Cross Route, Earls Court Road and Chelsea Embankment, encompassing most of the boroughs of Westminster, and Kensington and Chelsea. The area suffers congestion throughout the day, comparable with that experienced in the central area.

Depending on the outcome of the consultation and subject to funding availability, the earliest an extended scheme could be operational would be in 2006.

Key impacts of the proposal are:

1)  Estimated reduction of 5-10% in traffic levels and 10-20% in congestion with the extended 

     zone.
2)  Improvements to public transport capacity and levels of service.
3)  Additional net revenues of up to £10 million per annum to be invested in London's transport system

Mayor Ken Livingstone said "The unprecedented success of congestion charging over the past year has brought benefits of £50 million to London's economy. An improved bus system, shorter and more reliable journey times allow people who work, live and visit London to move around far more easily.

Congestion has been cut by almost a third in the central zone, yet it remains a problem in other parts of London. Other parts of Westminster and most of Kensington and Chelsea are more pressing cases for congestion charging, as their residents and businesses are subjected to congestion throughout the day. Extending the zone would help reduce this problem and bring yet more economic and financial benefits to London"

It is proposed that residents will receive the same discounts and exemptions that apply in the existing central London scheme, in which all residents are entitled to a 90% discount from the congestion charge.

The Mayor and TfL have put forward a draft revision to the Transport Strategy to enable a possible westward extension for consultation.  The Mayor will consider all the issues raised by respondents during the various phases of consultation, both for and against the proposal before he decides whether or not to implement the scheme.

February 18, 2004