Congestion Charge Extension ?

Friends of the Earth Says Yes!

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, has proposed that the congestion charging zone should be extended westwards.

See map below for proposed area of extension. There is more information on the the proposal on the Transport for London (TfL) web site.

TfL (Transport for London) has invited views on the proposed extension of the congestion charging zone. See our response which supports the proposal in principle.

West London Friends of the Earth is in favour of the extension. For our reasons, see below.

The congestion zone has been spectacularly successful in central London. Traffic levels have been cut by 15% and the proportion of trips by car dropped from 46% to 42%. Congestion has been cut by 30%. Buses have benefited greatly, with better services and more passengers; bus disruption has been reduced by 60%.

Reducing traffic has benefits other than reducing congestion and speeding up flows. It:

• reduces air pollution - nitrogen oxides down 12%
• reduces emissions of greeenhouse gases - emissions down 20%
• makes travel easier for pedestrians and cyclists
• encourages a change to walking, cycling and public transport
• improves safety for all road users

It seems eminently sensible to extend the scheme and thereby capture benefits over a wider area.

Charging for the use of congested road space is also consistent with the 'Polluter Pays Principle'. As well as applying to things such as air pollution, the principle extends any adverse impacts on other people, such as danger or congestion.

Too much traffic is one of the biggest problems in London today and it is mentioned by more Londoners in surveys than virtually any other issue. As if it is not bad enough now, the forecasts are that traffic levels will rise considerably over the next 10 years and congestion will increase much more. Unless, that is, drastic measures such as congestion charging are introduced.

There are very few methods proven to work. Apart from restricting road space for cars, charging for all parking spaces or imposing massive increases in taxes on motoring, congestion charging is the only way to effect change. Providing better bus and train services, while important and necessary, are not enough to effect major change.

A 'stick and carrot' approach is necessary. The sticks are congestion charges and other means of restraining car use. The carrots are providing better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists and better public transport.

For all these reasons, we believe the congestion charge should be extended as the mayor proposes.

Our only concern is why are there exemptions for major roads of Westway, the A5, Park Lane and the A202. Each exemption tends to reduce the effectiveness of a congestion charge and to introduce distortions.

TfL information and questionnaire
Transport trends
Back to transport introduction

(Page updated July 05)