orangepippin
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London congestion charge zone to be cutApparently Boris has honoured his manifesto commitment to give Londoners a vote on the western extension of the congestion charge zone, and they voted by 2/3rds to scrap it. So that's what he's going to do.
On the one hand, if the congestion charge really was cutting emissions this sounds like a backward step. On the other hand, good to see a politician actually listening to the electorate for a change.
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Silas
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Re: London congestion charge zone to be cut | orangepippin wrote: | Apparently Boris has honoured his manifesto commitment to give Londoners a vote on the western extension of the congestion charge zone, and they voted by 2/3rds to scrap it. So that's what he's going to do.
On the one hand, if the congestion charge really was cutting emissions this sounds like a backward step. On the other hand, good to see a politician actually listening to the electorate for a change. |
Very much a backward step in my opinion.
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boisdevie1
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Nice to see another example of turkeys voting for Xmas.
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Bebo
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I don't like having to say this but, I agree with Silas.
The only possible problem with extending the congestion charge zone westwards was that it took in a lot of residential areas. If you live inside the zone you can drive around within it without having to pay (you only get charged when crossing the zone boundary). There was therefore a lot more potential for those living in Kensington and Chelsea to drive to their jobs in the City without being charged. I'm not sure if any survey work was undertaken to see how effective the extension was. I'll have a little bit of an ask around and see if I can find out.
IMHO the most effective way of increasing the effectiveness and coverage of congestion charging would be to create a zone system, bit like the London Underground. Each time you crossed a boundary getting closer to the centre you'd get charged. You could put a high charge on the central zone and reduce it for each zone moving outwards from the centre. The longer the journey in the greater the charge as more zone boundaries would be crossed. Wouldn't catch long distance orbital travel though and the further out you got the more expensive it would be to implement (the boundary would get longer and more roads would cross it the further you were from the centre).
Phew, ramble mode off..........
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orangepippin
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It may be a backward step from an environmental point of view (although I doubt the congestion charge was ever that much to do with the environment). Perhaps Londoners would have been less critical of it if more of it went on transport alternatives and less on "running costs". The important thing is that a politician has kept a promise and carried out the democratic wishes of the electorate.
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Bebo
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I don't think most Londoners are against it. AFAIK the poll was only amongst directly affected residents (i.e. those living in RBKC). If it had been a London wide poll the result would probably have been different.
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Behemoth
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London has some of the best public transport in the UK and Europe apparently.
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Bebo
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Yup, everyone whinges about it but it is actually pretty good (speaking as someone that has used it pretty much every weekday (apart from holidays) for the last 24 odd years).
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