London congestion charge: Difference between revisions
→Introduction of the Western Extension: Split long sentence |
update |
||
(44 intermediate revisions by 26 users not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{ |
{{short description|Fee for vehicles entering Central London}} |
||
{{Use British English|date=August 2022}} |
{{Use British English|date=August 2022}} |
||
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}} |
||
[[File:London CC 12 2012 5037.JPG|thumb|Street markings and signs with the white-on-red C alert drivers entering the charge zone at [[Tower Hill]].]] |
[[File:London CC 12 2012 5037.JPG|thumb|Street markings and signs with the white-on-red C alert drivers entering the charge zone at [[Tower Hill]].]] |
||
{{maplink|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/London congestion charge zone since 2011}}|frame=yes|frame-width=230|text=The boundary of the current congestion charge zone}} |
|||
[[File:Space taken vs numbers in City of London (transport).png|thumb|Numbers of people using different transport types in the City of London in 2017 against the road space used by that type.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://democracy.cityoflondon.gov.uk/documents/s91800/Appendix+1+-+Traffic+in+the+City+2018.pdf|title=Traffic in the City 2018|publisher=Department of the Built Environment|date=February 2018 |
[[File:Space taken vs numbers in City of London (transport).png|thumb|Numbers of people using different transport types in the City of London in 2017 against the road space used by that type.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://democracy.cityoflondon.gov.uk/documents/s91800/Appendix+1+-+Traffic+in+the+City+2018.pdf|title=Traffic in the City 2018|publisher=Department of the Built Environment|date=February 2018}}</ref>]] |
||
{{Politics of London}} |
{{Politics of London}} |
||
The '''London congestion charge''' is a fee charged on most cars and motor vehicles being driven within the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allacronyms.com/CCZ/Congestion_Charge_Zone |title=CCZ abbreviation stands for Congestion Charge Zone |work=All Acronyms |publisher=Caleb Cox |access-date=12 April 2015}}</ref> in [[Central London]] between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm Monday to Friday, and between 12:00 noon and 6:00 pm Saturday and Sunday.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge |title=Congestion Charge (Official) |website= [[Transport for London]] |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412121507/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge |archive-date=12 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="covidincrease">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-52677059 | |
The '''London congestion charge''' is a fee charged on most cars and motor vehicles being driven within the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allacronyms.com/CCZ/Congestion_Charge_Zone |title=CCZ abbreviation stands for Congestion Charge Zone |work=All Acronyms |publisher=Caleb Cox |access-date=12 April 2015}}</ref> in [[Central London]] between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm Monday to Friday, and between 12:00 noon and 6:00 pm Saturday and Sunday.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge |title=Congestion Charge (Official) |website= [[Transport for London]] |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412121507/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge |archive-date=12 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="covidincrease">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-52677059 |title=Coronavirus: London congestion charge brought back with price rise |publisher=BBC News |date=15 May 2020}}</ref> |
||
Inspired by [[Singapore]]'s [[Electronic Road Pricing]] (ERP) system after London officials had travelled to the country, the charge was first introduced on 17 February 2003.<ref name="guardianQAERP">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theissues/article/0,,519534,00.html |title=Q&A: The congestion charge |author=Simon Jeffery |author2=Sarah Phillips |name-list-style=amp |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media |date=7 August 2006 |access-date=26 May 2007}}</ref> The London charge zone is one of the largest [[congestion pricing|congestion charge]] zones in the world, despite the removal of the Western Extension which operated between February 2007 and January 2011. The charge not only helps to reduce high traffic flow in the city streets, but also reduces air and noise [[pollution]] in the central London area and raises investment funds for London's transport system. |
Inspired by [[Singapore]]'s [[Electronic Road Pricing]] (ERP) system after London officials had travelled to the country, the charge was first introduced on 17 February 2003.<ref name="guardianQAERP">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theissues/article/0,,519534,00.html |title=Q&A: The congestion charge |author=Simon Jeffery |author2=Sarah Phillips |name-list-style=amp |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media |date=7 August 2006 |access-date=26 May 2007}}</ref> The London charge zone is one of the largest [[congestion pricing|congestion charge]] zones in the world, despite the removal of the Western Extension which operated between February 2007 and January 2011. The charge not only helps to reduce high traffic flow in the city streets, but also reduces air and noise [[pollution]] in the central London area and raises investment funds for London's transport system. |
||
The standard charge is £15, |
The standard charge is £15, Monday–Friday from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, and 12-midday to 6:00 pm Saturday–Sunday (and Bank Holidays), for each non-exempt vehicle driven within the zone, with a penalty of between £65 and £195 levied for non-payment.<ref name=covidincrease/> The congestion charge does not operate on Christmas Day (25 December).<ref>{{cite web |title=Maps & Times |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/congestion-charge-zone |publisher=[[Transport for London]] |access-date=16 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080123065244/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/roadusers/congestioncharge/whereandwhen/ |archive-date=23 January 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In July 2013 the Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED) introduced more stringent emission standards that limit the free access to the congestion charge zone to [[all-electric car]]s, some [[plug-in hybrid]]s, and any vehicle that emits 75 g/km or less of CO<sub>2</sub> and meets the [[European emission standards#Toxic emission: stages and legal framework|Euro 5 standards]] for air quality.<ref name=ULED/><ref name=Sunset2016/> On 8 April 2019, the [[Ultra Low Emission Zone]] (ULEZ) was introduced, which applies 24/7 to vehicles which do not meet the emissions standards:<ref name=ComplyULEZ>{{cite web |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/complying-with-ulez |title=Complying with ULEZ - Transport for London |access-date=18 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817023201/https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/complying-with-ulez |archive-date=17 August 2018 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all}}</ref> [[European emission standards#Toxic emission: stages and legal framework|Euro 4 standards]] for petrol vehicles, and Euro 6 or VI for diesel and large vehicles. In October 2021, the ULEZ was expanded to cover the [[Inner London]] area within the [[North Circular Road, London|North]] and [[South Circular Road, London|South Circular Road]]s,<ref name=fleetnewsnov2017>{{cite web |title=London Mayor confirms Ultra-Low Emission Zone will start in 2019 |url=https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/fleet-industry-news/2017/11/03/london-mayor-confirms-ultra-low-emission-zone-will-start-in-2019 |website=www.fleetnews.co.uk |access-date=26 November 2017 |archive-date=25 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725104307/https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/fleet-industry-news/2017/11/03/london-mayor-confirms-ultra-low-emission-zone-will-start-in-2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and in August 2023 to all of [[Greater London]]. The ULEZ replaced the T-charge (toxicity charge) which applied to vehicles below Euro 4 standard.<ref name=TCharge/><ref name=TCharge02/> Since 2021 the congestion charge exemption has applied only to pure electric vehicles and from 2025 there will be no discounts for electric vehicles.<ref name=":0" /> |
||
Enforcement is primarily based on [[automatic number-plate recognition]] (ANPR). [[Transport for London]] (TfL) is responsible for the charge which has been operated by [[IBM]] since 2009. During the first ten years since the introduction of the scheme, gross revenue reached about £2.6 billion up to the end of December 2013. From 2003 to 2013, about £1.2 billion has been invested in public transport, road and bridge improvement and walking and cycling schemes. Of these, a total of £960 million was invested on improvements to the bus network. |
Enforcement is primarily based on [[automatic number-plate recognition]] (ANPR). [[Transport for London]] (TfL) is responsible for the charge which has been operated by [[IBM]] since 2009. During the first ten years since the introduction of the scheme, gross revenue reached about £2.6 billion up to the end of December 2013. From 2003 to 2013, about £1.2 billion has been invested in public transport, road and bridge improvement and walking and cycling schemes. Of these, a total of £960 million was invested on improvements to the bus network. |
||
The congestion charging scheme possibly facilitated<ref name="results2012">Givoni, M. (2011). Re-assessing the Results of the London Congestion Charging Scheme. Urban Studies, 49(5), 1089–1105. doi:10.1177/0042098011417017</ref> a 10% reduction in traffic volumes from baseline conditions, and an overall reduction of 11% in vehicle kilometres in London between 2000 and 2012, though these changes cannot be causally attributed to the congestion charge.<ref name="results2012"/> Despite these gains, traffic speeds have also been getting progressively slower over the past decade, particularly in central London. TfL explains that the historic decline in traffic speeds is most likely due to interventions that have reduced the effective capacity of the road network to improve the urban environment, increase road safety and prioritise public transport, pedestrian and cycle traffic, as well as an increase in road works by utilities and general development activity since 2006. TfL concluded in 2006 that, while levels of congestion in central London are close to levels before the congestion charge was implemented, its effectiveness in reducing traffic volumes means that conditions would be worse without the congestion charging scheme,<ref name=2014assessment>{{cite web|url=https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/cc-changes-march-2014/user_uploads/cc-impact-assessment.pdf |title=Public and stakeholder consultation on a Variation Order to modify the Congestion Charging scheme Impact Assessment |author=Transport for London (TfL) |publisher=TfL |date=January 2014 |access-date=15 February 2015 |
The congestion charging scheme possibly facilitated<ref name="results2012">Givoni, M. (2011). Re-assessing the Results of the London Congestion Charging Scheme. Urban Studies, 49(5), 1089–1105. doi:10.1177/0042098011417017</ref> a 10% reduction in traffic volumes from baseline conditions, and an overall reduction of 11% in vehicle kilometres in London between 2000 and 2012, though these changes cannot be causally attributed to the congestion charge.<ref name="results2012"/> Despite these gains, traffic speeds have also been getting progressively slower over the past decade, particularly in central London. TfL explains that the historic decline in traffic speeds is most likely due to interventions that have reduced the effective capacity of the road network in order to improve the urban environment, increase road safety and prioritise public transport, pedestrian and cycle traffic, as well as an increase in road works by utilities and general development activity since 2006. TfL concluded in 2006 that, while levels of congestion in central London are close to levels before the congestion charge was implemented, its effectiveness in reducing traffic volumes means that conditions would be worse without the congestion charging scheme,<ref name=2014assessment>{{cite web |url=https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/cc-changes-march-2014/user_uploads/cc-impact-assessment.pdf |title=Public and stakeholder consultation on a Variation Order to modify the Congestion Charging scheme Impact Assessment |author=Transport for London (TfL) |publisher=TfL |date=January 2014 |access-date=15 February 2015}} ''See pp. 12: Traffic volume, speed and congestion.''</ref> though later studies emphasise that causality has not been established.<ref name="results2012" /> |
||
== Present scheme == |
== Present scheme == |
||
=== Boundary === |
=== Boundary === |
||
{{Multiple image | direction = horizontal | align = right| image1 = |
{{Multiple image | direction = horizontal | align = right| image1 =UK traffic sign 677.svg| width1 = 105 |
||
| caption1 =Sign indicating the entrance of congestion charge area.| image2 = London CC 12 2012 5018b.jpg| width2 = 145 |
| caption1 =Sign indicating the entrance of congestion charge area.| image2 = London CC 12 2012 5018b.jpg| width2 = 145 |
||
| caption2 =Sign indicating the exit of congestion charge area.}} |
| caption2 =Sign indicating the exit of congestion charge area.}} |
||
The current congestion charge zone covers the area within the [[London Inner Ring Road]] which includes both the [[City of London]], which is the main financial district, and also the [[West End of London|West End]], which is London's primary commercial and entertainment centre.<ref name="What it is">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/uk/03/congestion_charge/exemptions_guide/html/what.stm | |
The current congestion charge zone covers the area within the [[London Inner Ring Road]] which includes both the [[City of London]], which is the main financial district, and also the [[West End of London|West End]], which is London's primary commercial and entertainment centre.<ref name="What it is">{{cite news |title=Congestion Charging: in London – What it is |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/uk/03/congestion_charge/exemptions_guide/html/what.stm |publisher=BBC News |year=2003 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412122132/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/uk/03/congestion_charge/exemptions_guide/html/what.stm |archive-date=12 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> Although primarily a commercial area, there are also 136,000 residents, out of a total [[Greater London]] population of almost 9,000,000. There is little heavy industry within the zone. |
||
Starting at the northernmost point and moving clockwise, the major roads defining the boundary are [[Pentonville Road]], [[City Road]], [[Old Street]], [[Commercial Street, London|Commercial Street]], [[Mansell Street (London)|Mansell Street]], [[Tower Bridge Road]], [[New Kent Road]], [[Elephant and Castle]], [[Kennington Lane]], [[Vauxhall Bridge Road]], [[Park Lane (road)|Park Lane]], [[Edgware Road]], [[Marylebone Road]] and [[Euston Road]] (other roads fill the small gaps between these roads). Signs were erected and symbols painted on the road to help drivers recognise the congestion charge area.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cclondon.com/signsandsymbol.shtml |title=Signs and Symbols |publisher=[[Transport for London]]|access-date=27 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071216092319/http://www.cclondon.com/signsandsymbol.shtml |archive-date=16 December 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
Starting at the northernmost point and moving clockwise, the major roads defining the boundary are [[Pentonville Road]], [[City Road]], [[Old Street]], [[Commercial Street, London|Commercial Street]], [[Mansell Street (London)|Mansell Street]], [[Tower Bridge Road]], [[New Kent Road]], [[Elephant and Castle]], [[Kennington Lane]], [[Vauxhall Bridge Road]], [[Park Lane (road)|Park Lane]], [[Edgware Road]], [[Marylebone Road]] and [[Euston Road]] (other roads fill the small gaps between these roads). Signs were erected and symbols painted on the road to help drivers recognise the congestion charge area.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cclondon.com/signsandsymbol.shtml |title=Signs and Symbols |publisher=[[Transport for London]]|access-date=27 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071216092319/http://www.cclondon.com/signsandsymbol.shtml |archive-date=16 December 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
||
Line 38: | Line 38: | ||
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; text-align:center;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; text-align:center;" |
||
|+Evolution of the charge<ref name="2005raise">{{cite web|url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/demand-elasticities-for-car-trips-to-central-london.pdf|title=Demand Elasticities for Car Trips to Central London as revealed by the Central London Congestion Charge |last=Evans|first=Reg|publisher=[[Transport for London]]|date=September 2008|access-date=15 February 2015}}</ref><ref name="2014raise">{{cite news|date=28 May 2014|title=London congestion charge to rise|work=[[The Guardian]]|agency=Press Association|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/may/28/london-congestion-charge-rise|access-date=15 February 2015}}</ref> |
|+Evolution of the charge<ref name="2005raise">{{cite web|url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/demand-elasticities-for-car-trips-to-central-london.pdf|title=Demand Elasticities for Car Trips to Central London as revealed by the Central London Congestion Charge |last=Evans|first=Reg|publisher=[[Transport for London]]|date=September 2008|access-date=15 February 2015}}</ref><ref name="2014raise">{{cite news|date=28 May 2014|title=London congestion charge to rise|work=[[The Guardian]]|agency=Press Association|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/may/28/london-congestion-charge-rise|access-date=15 February 2015}}</ref> |
||
|- |
|- |
||
!Date!!Charge!!Increase |
!Date!!Charge!!Increase!!Increase per year (avg) |
||
|- |
|- |
||
| align="left" |February 2003||£5|| – |
| align="left" |February 2003||£5|| – || - |
||
|- |
|- |
||
| align="left" |July 2005||£8||60% |
| align="left" |July 2005||£8||60%||26.7%pa |
||
|- |
|- |
||
| align="left" |January 2011||£10||25% |
| align="left" |January 2011||£10||25%||4.5%pa |
||
|- |
|- |
||
| align="left" |June 2014||£11.50||15% |
| align="left" |June 2014||£11.50||15%||4.4%pa |
||
|- |
|- |
||
| align="left" |June 2020||£15.00||30.5% |
| align="left" |June 2020||£15.00||30.4%||5.1%pa |
||
|} |
|} |
||
====Fees and penalties==== |
====Fees and penalties==== |
||
{{As of|2020|7|27}}, the following penalty charges apply:<ref name="pay2014" /> |
{{As of|2020|7|27}}, the following penalty charges apply:<ref name="pay2014" /> |
||
Line 61: | Line 66: | ||
Refunds are available to people who pay monthly or annually in advance whose plans change; reimbursements are available to NHS patients assessed to be too ill to travel by public transport, NHS staff using vehicles on official business, and care home employees.<ref name="covidincrease" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Amendments, refunds and reimbursements|url=https://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/paying-the-congestion-charge/refunds-and-reimbursements|access-date=2020-07-27|website=Transport for London|language=en-GB}}</ref> Residents living within or very close to the zone are eligible for a 90% discount which is charged via CC Autopay.<ref name="d&e">{{cite web |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/discounts-and-exemptions?intcmp=2133 |work=Congestion Charging |title=Residents' discount |publisher=[[Transport for London]] |access-date=18 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418173557/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/discounts-and-exemptions?intcmp=2133 |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}} ''Click on "Residents' discount" for details.''</ref> |
Refunds are available to people who pay monthly or annually in advance whose plans change; reimbursements are available to NHS patients assessed to be too ill to travel by public transport, NHS staff using vehicles on official business, and care home employees.<ref name="covidincrease" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Amendments, refunds and reimbursements|url=https://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/paying-the-congestion-charge/refunds-and-reimbursements|access-date=2020-07-27|website=Transport for London|language=en-GB}}</ref> Residents living within or very close to the zone are eligible for a 90% discount which is charged via CC Autopay.<ref name="d&e">{{cite web |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/discounts-and-exemptions?intcmp=2133 |work=Congestion Charging |title=Residents' discount |publisher=[[Transport for London]] |access-date=18 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418173557/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/discounts-and-exemptions?intcmp=2133 |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}} ''Click on "Residents' discount" for details.''</ref> |
||
The system gives 100% discounts to registered cars which emit 75 g/km or less of [[carbon dioxide]] and meet the [[European emission standards#Toxic emission: stages and legal framework|Euro 5 emission standard]], vehicles with nine or more seats, motor-tricycles, two-wheeled motorcycles (and sidecars), mopeds, accredited breakdown companies, and roadside recovery vehicles.<ref name="d&e"/> [[Battery electric vehicles|All-electric vehicle]]s (BEVs) and eligible [[plug-in hybrid electric vehicle]]s (PHEVs) qualify for a 100% congestion charge discount. A plug-in electric drive vehicle qualifies if the vehicle is registered with the [[Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency]] (DVLA) and has a fuel type of "electric", or alternatively, if the vehicle is a "plug-in hybrid" and is on the government's list of PHEVs eligible for the OLEV grant.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/discounts-and-exemptions?intcmp=4368|title=Discounts and exemptions – Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED)|author=[[Transport for London]]|publisher=Transport for London |date=February 2015|access-date=15 February 2015}} ''Click on "Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED)" for details.''</ref> {{As of|2016|02}}, approved PHEVs include all [[Range extender (vehicle)|extended-range vehicles]] such as the [[BMW i3 REx]], and plug-in hybrids such as the [[Audi A3 Sportback e-tron]], [[BMW i8]], [[Mitsubishi Outlander P-HEV]] (passenger and van variants), [[Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid]], and [[Volkswagen Golf GTE]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goultralow.com/what-are-go-ultra-low-cars/types-of-vehicles/plug-in-hybrid/|title=Vehicle technologies – Plug-in hybrids|author=Go Ultra Low|publisher=Go Ultra Low|date=February 2016|access-date=4 February 2016}}</ref> |
The system gives 100% discounts to registered cars which emit 75 g/km or less of [[carbon dioxide]] and meet the [[European emission standards#Toxic emission: stages and legal framework|Euro 5 emission standard]], vehicles with nine or more seats, motor-tricycles, two-wheeled motorcycles (and sidecars), mopeds, accredited breakdown companies, and roadside recovery vehicles.<ref name="d&e"/> [[Battery electric vehicles|All-electric vehicle]]s (BEVs) and eligible [[plug-in hybrid electric vehicle]]s (PHEVs) qualify for a 100% congestion charge discount. A plug-in electric drive vehicle qualifies if the vehicle is registered with the [[Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency]] (DVLA) and has a fuel type of "electric", or alternatively, if the vehicle is a "plug-in hybrid" and is on the government's list of PHEVs eligible for the OLEV grant.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/discounts-and-exemptions?intcmp=4368|title=Discounts and exemptions – Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED)|author=[[Transport for London]]|publisher=Transport for London |date=February 2015|access-date=15 February 2015}} ''Click on "Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED)" for details.''</ref> {{As of|2016|02}}, approved PHEVs include all [[Range extender (vehicle)|extended-range vehicles]] such as the [[BMW i3 REx]], and plug-in hybrids such as the [[Audi A3 Sportback e-tron]], [[BMW i8]], [[Mitsubishi Outlander P-HEV]] (passenger and van variants), [[Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid]], and [[Volkswagen Golf GTE]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goultralow.com/what-are-go-ultra-low-cars/types-of-vehicles/plug-in-hybrid/|title=Vehicle technologies – Plug-in hybrids|author=Go Ultra Low|publisher=Go Ultra Low|date=February 2016|access-date=4 February 2016|archive-date=16 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416230722/https://www.goultralow.com/what-are-go-ultra-low-cars/types-of-vehicles/plug-in-hybrid/|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
||
Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) were exempt from the charge but the PHV exemption ended in April 2019, except for PHVs which are wheelchair accessible vehicles.<ref name=":0">{{ |
Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) were exempt from the charge but the PHV exemption ended in April 2019, except for PHVs which are wheelchair accessible vehicles.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/decisions/md2397-amendments-congestion-charge-and-ultra-low-emission-zone|title=Mayoral Decision 2397: Amendments to the Congestion Charge and Low Emission Zone|date=17 December 2018|website=Greater London Authority (GLA)}}</ref> |
||
====End of Greener Vehicle Discount==== |
====End of Greener Vehicle Discount==== |
||
⚫ | In November 2012, TfL presented a proposal to end the Greener Vehicle Discount that benefited mainly vehicles with small diesel engines, that avoid the charge because their engines produce emissions of less than 100 g/km of CO<sub>2</sub>.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-20400740|title=Congestion charge greener vehicles rule change planned |publisher=BBC News |date=11 December 2012|access-date=20 November 2012}}</ref> The proposal was approved by Mayor [[Boris Johnson]] in April 2013 and the Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED) went into effect on 1 July 2013. The ULED introduced more stringent emission standards that limit the free access to the congestion charge zone to all-electric cars, some plug-in hybrids, and any car or van that emits 75 g/km or less of CO<sub>2</sub> and meets the Euro 5 emission standards for air quality. {{As of|2013|07}}, there are no [[internal combustion]]-only vehicles that meet these criteria. The measure was designed to curb the growing number of diesel vehicles on London's roads. About 20,000 owners of vehicles registered for the Greener Vehicle Discount by June 2013 were granted a three-year [[Sunset provision|sunset period]] before they have to pay the full congestion charge. Other changes were the removal of the option to pay the charge in shops, and the penalty charge was increased to £10.<ref name=ULED>{{cite web|url=http://www.greencarcongress.com/2013/04/uled-20130424.html|title=London to introduce new Ulta Low Emission Discount for Congestion Charge scheme; countering dieselization|publisher=[[Green Car Congress]]|date=24 April 2013|access-date=24 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/apr/24/pollution |title=London tightens up congestion charge in attempt to drive out diesel |work=[[The Guardian]]|date=24 April 2013 |access-date=18 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418174852/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/apr/24/pollution |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/blog/index.php/2013/07/01/london-tightens-congestion-charge-exemptions/ |title=London tightens Congestion Charge exemptions |author=Faye Sunderland |publisher=The Green Car Website (UK) |date=1 July 2013 |access-date=1 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216062939/http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/blog/index.php/2013/07/01/london-tightens-congestion-charge-exemptions/ |archive-date=16 February 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-23125082|title=New green discount for the congestion charge comes in |publisher=BBC News |date=1 July 2013|access-date=2 July 2013}}</ref> The sunset period ended on 24 June 2016.<ref name=Sunset2016>{{cite web| url=http://www.nextgreencar.com/news/7701/congestion-charge-sunset-period-ends-today/ |title=Congestion charge sunset period ends today |first=Chris |last=Lilly |publisher=Next Green Car |date=24 June 2016 |access-date=29 June 2016}}</ref> In December 2018, a further tightening of the standards was announced, in part to bring standards beyond that of the ULEZ. This means that since April 2019 only vehicles which are Euro 6, emit up to 75 g/km of {{CO2}} and have a minimum 20 mile zero emission range have qualified for the discount. A further phase from October 2021 will mean that only [[zero-emission vehicle]]s ([[battery electric vehicle|pure electric vehicles]] and [[fuel cell vehicle|hydrogen fuel cell vehicles]]) can qualify, and the discount will be phased out completely from December 2025.<ref name=":0" /> |
||
==== T-Charge emissions surcharge ==== |
|||
⚫ | In November 2012, TfL presented a proposal to end the Greener Vehicle Discount that benefited mainly vehicles with small diesel engines, that avoid the charge because their engines produce emissions of less than 100 g/km of CO<sub>2</sub>.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-20400740|title=Congestion charge greener vehicles rule change planned | |
||
⚫ | An emissions surcharge, known as the Toxicity Charge or T-Charge, was introduced on 23 October 2017. It operated for the same hours as the congestion charge (7:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays).<ref>{{cite web |last=Chapman |first=Ben |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/t-charge-what-is-it-london-emissions-charge-how-affect-will-pay-congestion-car-diesel-a8014976.html |title=T-charge: What is the new London emissions charge and how will it affect you? |work=The Independent |date=23 October 2017 |access-date=8 January 2019}}</ref> Older cars and vans that did not meet [[European emission standards#Toxic emission: stages and legal framework|Euro 4 standards]] had to pay an extra £10 charge on top of the congestion charge to drive in central London, within the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ). The charge typically applied to diesel and petrol vehicles registered before 2006, and the levy affected up to 10,000 vehicles. The public consultation on the T-Charge proposals began in July 2016.<ref name=TCharge>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/feb/17/london-to-introduce-vehicle-pollution-charge-in-october-says-mayor-sadiq-khan |title=London to introduce £10 vehicle pollution charge, says Sadiq Khan | first=Rowena |last=Mason | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=17 February 2017 | access-date=23 February 2017}}</ref><ref name=TCharge02>{{cite news | url=http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/consumer-news/95559/london-introduces-new-10-t-charge-to-cut-vehicle-pollution |title=London introduces new £10 'T-charge' to cut vehicle pollution | first= Martin |last=Saarinen | work=[[Auto Express]] | date=17 February 2017 | access-date=23 February 2017}}</ref> |
||
==== Toxicity charge ==== |
|||
⚫ | |||
London Mayor [[Sadiq Khan]] announced the introduction of the scheme on 17 February 2017 after London achieved record air pollution levels in January 2017, and the city was put on |
London Mayor [[Sadiq Khan]] announced the introduction of the scheme on 17 February 2017 after London achieved record air pollution levels in January 2017, and the city was put on a high pollution alert for the first time ever, as cold and stationary weather failed to clear toxic pollutants emitted mainly by diesel vehicles.<ref name=NYT02172017>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/17/world/europe/london-smog-air-pollution.html?_r=0 |title=A Push for Diesel Leaves London Gasping Amid Record Pollution | author=Kimiko de Reytas-Tamura | work=[[The New York Times]] | date=17 February 2017 | access-date=23 February 2017}}</ref> |
||
In December 2017, TfL said that the charge had cut the number of |
In December 2017, TfL said that the charge had cut the number of non-compliant vehicles by around 1,000 per day, with the remaining 2,000 paying the £10 charge (a further 3,000 vehicles are eligible for discounts due to Blue Badges etc.).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/tcharge-cuts-number-of-dirty-diesels-driven-into-central-london-by-1000-a3725816.html |title=T-charge cuts number of dirty diesels driven into central London by 1,000|date=22 December 2017}}</ref> |
||
The T- |
The T-Charge was replaced by the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on 8 April 2019. For the ULEZ [[Sunset provision|sunset period]] the T-Charge was still levied for uncompliant vehicles on holders of the residents' discount.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pay to drive in London|url=https://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/terms-and-conditions/pay-to-drive-in-london|access-date=2020-07-27|website=Transport for London|language=en-GB |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727180407/https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/terms-and-conditions/pay-to-drive-in-london |archive-date=27 July 2020}}</ref> |
||
====Ultra Low Emission Zone==== |
====Ultra Low Emission Zone==== |
||
{{main|Ultra Low Emission Zone}} |
{{main|Ultra Low Emission Zone}} |
||
The ULEZ |
The ULEZ went into effect in April 2019 and replaced the T-Charge.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-47815117|title=London's new pollution charge begins|date=2019-04-08|access-date=2019-04-08|language=en-GB}}</ref> It initially covered the same area as the T-Charge and the Congestion Charge Zone but applies 24/7, every day of the year (except Christmas Day), with charges of £12.50 a day for cars, vans and motorcycles, and £100 a day for lorries, buses and coaches. The ULEZ caused a 20% reduction in emissions and resulted in a drop of non compliant vehicles entering the zone each day from 35,578 to 23,054.<ref name=4monthreport>{{Cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/central_london_ulez_4_month_report.pdf|title=Central London Ultra Low Emission Zone - Four month report}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/futurelondon/cleanair/high-pollution-levels-detected-by-40-of-londons-air-quality-sensor-networks-a4196811.html|title=London pollution: High levels detected by 40% of capital's air quality|date=23 July 2019|website=Evening Standard}}</ref> The zone was extended to the [[North Circular Road, London|North Circular]] and [[South Circular Road, London|South Circular]] roads in October 2021 and was extended to the whole of Greater London from 29 August 2023.<ref name=fleetnewsnov2017/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-47814416|title=ULEZ: The politics of pollution|first=Tom|last=Edwards|work=BBC News|date=5 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/ulez-ultra-low-emission-zone-expand-greater-london-sadiq-khan-b986027.html |title=ULEZ to expand across all of Greater London, Mayor Sadiq Khan announces|date=8 March 2022 }}</ref> |
||
===Suspensions, avoidance and evasion=== |
===Suspensions, avoidance and evasion=== |
||
Line 93: | Line 96: | ||
=== Payment by embassies === |
=== Payment by embassies === |
||
Following pressure from the Mayor of London,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4881442.stm |title=Embassy to pay congestion charge |work=BBC News |date=6 April 2006 |access-date=25 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418175646/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4881442.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> an increasing number of embassies accepted the charge and by 2008 a total of 99 out of 128 embassies had agreed to the charge. Among others, decliners include [[Germany]], [[Japan]], [[Russia]] and the [[United States]], who, by 2015, collectively owed £95 million.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/f731628a-9f31-11e5-beba-5e33e2b79e46|title=London embassies run up £95m congestion charge bill|date=10 December 2015|website=Financial Times|last1=Sullivan|first1=Conor}}</ref> The United States and Germany are reported to consider it to be a local tax, from which they are protected by the [[Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations|Vienna Convention]], rather than a toll.<ref name="taxortoll">{{cite news|last=Mulholland|first=Helene|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/nov/19/london-congestioncharging|title=Foreign diplomats owe £23m over London congestion charge|date=19 November 2008|work=The Guardian|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418180512/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/nov/19/london-congestioncharging|archive-date=18 April 2015}}</ref> |
Following pressure from the Mayor of London,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4881442.stm |title=Embassy to pay congestion charge |work=BBC News |date=6 April 2006 |access-date=25 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418175646/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4881442.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> an increasing number of embassies accepted the charge and by 2008 a total of 99 out of 128 embassies had agreed to the charge. Among others, decliners include [[Germany]], [[Japan]], [[Russia]] and the [[United States]], who, by 2015, collectively owed £95 million.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/f731628a-9f31-11e5-beba-5e33e2b79e46 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/f731628a-9f31-11e5-beba-5e33e2b79e46 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=London embassies run up £95m congestion charge bill|date=10 December 2015|website=Financial Times|last1=Sullivan|first1=Conor}}</ref> The United States and Germany are reported to consider it to be a local tax, from which they are protected by the [[Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations|Vienna Convention]], rather than a toll.<ref name="taxortoll">{{cite news|last=Mulholland|first=Helene|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/nov/19/london-congestioncharging|title=Foreign diplomats owe £23m over London congestion charge|date=19 November 2008|work=The Guardian|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418180512/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/nov/19/london-congestioncharging|archive-date=18 April 2015}}</ref> |
||
In May 2011, Johnson raised the issue with the President of the United States, [[Barack Obama]], who was fined £120 after driving through London in the [[Presidential state car (United States)|Presidential state car]] without paying the toll during a state visit to [[Buckingham Palace]]. The United States subsequently claimed [[diplomatic immunity]]. A TfL spokesperson noted that US embassies do pay tolls in [[Oslo]] and Singapore.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4770293.stm |title=Embassy road toll row continues |work=BBC News |date=14 May 2006 |access-date=25 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418181127/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4770293.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> In |
In May 2011, Johnson raised the issue with the President of the United States, [[Barack Obama]], who was fined £120 after driving through London in the [[Presidential state car (United States)|Presidential state car]] without paying the toll during a state visit to [[Buckingham Palace]]. The United States subsequently claimed [[diplomatic immunity]]. A TfL spokesperson noted that US embassies do pay tolls in [[Oslo]] and Singapore.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4770293.stm |title=Embassy road toll row continues |work=BBC News |date=14 May 2006 |access-date=25 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418181127/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4770293.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2024 Transport for London estimated that, by the end of 2023, £143 million was owed by foreign embassies in London: since the charge was introduced in 2003, the [[Embassy of the United States, London|US Embassy]] owed the most with £14.6 million, followed by [[Embassy of Japan, London|Japan]] at £10 million, [[India House, London|India]] with £8.5 million, and [[High Commission of Nigeria, London|Nigeria]] with £8.4 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckrrnz2gn3po|title=Diplomats owe more than £143m in London congestion charges |work=BBC News|date=20 May 2024|access-date=21 May 2024}}</ref> |
||
== History == |
== History == |
||
=== Background === |
=== Background === |
||
The [[Her Majesty's Government|government]]'s [[Smeed Report]] of 1964 was the first full assessment of the practicality of [[road pricing]] in a British city on the basis of congestion.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2006/aug/07/travelsenvironmentalimpact.transportintheuk |title=Q&A: National road charging scheme |first=Matthew |last=Tempest |work=The Guardian |date=7 August 2006 |access-date=26 May 2007 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418181853/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2006/aug/07/travelsenvironmentalimpact.transportintheuk |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Smeed |first=R.J. |year=1964 |title=Road pricing: the economic and technical possibilities |publisher=HMSO}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Experts' plan to cut traffic pressure |work=The Times |date=11 June 1964}}</ref> It recommended a method of "car user restraint" by a variable system of charging for road usage{{Snd}}if the government had the will to do so. During the early years of the [[Greater London Council]], which was formed in 1965, the first plans were drawn up for a system of cordon charging or supplementary licensing for use in the central area. A formal study was undertaken into the merits of the scheme, and in 1973 concluded that it would improve traffic and environmental conditions in the centre.<ref name=bannister>{{Cite book |title=Transport Planning:In the UK, USA and Europe |last=Bannister |first=David |year=2002 |isbn=978-1-13450-663-7}}</ref> These plans were being developed at the same time as the [[London Ringways]], a series of four orbital motorways around and within London including [[London Ringways#Ringway 1|Ringway 1]] (the London Motorway Box) leading to widespread public protest by [[Homes before Roads]] and others. Only a small section of these road schemes had been implemented<ref name="cancelled">{{cite web |url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/histories/ringways/background/epilogue.shtml |work=Ringways – Background |title=Epilogue |publisher=cbrd.co.uk |access-date=13 February 2009 |quote=Within London, a few fragments had been built: the Ringway 1 East Cross Route was complete by the early 1970s, and the A40(M) Westway and a short stub of the West Cross Route were open to traffic before the GLDP inquiry halted the plans |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418181319/http://www.cbrd.co.uk/articles/ringways/background/epilogue.shtml |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> by the time Labour gained control in the [[1973 Greater London Council election]]s, and the new administration abandoned the road building plans in favour of public transport and [[traffic management]].<ref>{{cite book|title=London: A Social History|year=1994|isbn=978-0-241-12944-9|page=448pp|author=R Porter, Hamish Hamilton}}</ref> The new administration, to which [[Ken Livingstone]] had just been elected for the first time,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/520973.stm |title=CV: Ken 'Red Ken' Livingstone |publisher=BBC |date=17 November 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418181550/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/520973.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> studied a congestion scheme similar to the one which was eventually adopted the following year.<ref>{{cite book|title=Urban Road Pricing: Public and Political Acceptability|isbn=978-0-7546-3449-2|publisher=Ashgate Publishing|year=2003|page=248}}</ref> |
The [[Her Majesty's Government|government]]'s [[Smeed Report]] of 1964 was the first full assessment of the practicality of [[road pricing]] in a British city on the basis of congestion.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2006/aug/07/travelsenvironmentalimpact.transportintheuk |title=Q&A: National road charging scheme |first=Matthew |last=Tempest |work=The Guardian |date=7 August 2006 |access-date=26 May 2007 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418181853/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2006/aug/07/travelsenvironmentalimpact.transportintheuk |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Smeed |first=R.J. |year=1964 |title=Road pricing: the economic and technical possibilities |publisher=HMSO}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Experts' plan to cut traffic pressure |work=The Times |date=11 June 1964}}</ref> It recommended a method of "car user restraint" by a variable system of charging for road usage{{Snd}}if the government had the will to do so. During the early years of the [[Greater London Council]], which was formed in 1965, the first plans were drawn up for a system of cordon charging or supplementary licensing for use in the central area. A formal study was undertaken into the merits of the scheme, and in 1973 concluded that it would improve traffic and environmental conditions in the centre.<ref name=bannister>{{Cite book |title=Transport Planning:In the UK, USA and Europe |last=Bannister |first=David |year=2002 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-13450-663-7}}</ref> These plans were being developed at the same time as the [[London Ringways]], a series of four orbital motorways around and within London including [[London Ringways#Ringway 1|Ringway 1]] (the London Motorway Box) leading to widespread public protest by [[Homes before Roads]] and others. Only a small section of these road schemes had been implemented<ref name="cancelled">{{cite web |url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/histories/ringways/background/epilogue.shtml |work=Ringways – Background |title=Epilogue |publisher=cbrd.co.uk |access-date=13 February 2009 |quote=Within London, a few fragments had been built: the Ringway 1 East Cross Route was complete by the early 1970s, and the A40(M) Westway and a short stub of the West Cross Route were open to traffic before the GLDP inquiry halted the plans |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418181319/http://www.cbrd.co.uk/articles/ringways/background/epilogue.shtml |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> by the time Labour gained control in the [[1973 Greater London Council election]]s, and the new administration abandoned the road building plans in favour of public transport and [[traffic management]].<ref>{{cite book|title=London: A Social History|year=1994|isbn=978-0-241-12944-9|page=448pp|author=R Porter, Hamish Hamilton}}</ref> The new administration, to which [[Ken Livingstone]] had just been elected for the first time,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/520973.stm |title=CV: Ken 'Red Ken' Livingstone |publisher=BBC |date=17 November 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418181550/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/520973.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> studied a congestion scheme similar to the one which was eventually adopted the following year.<ref>{{cite book|title=Urban Road Pricing: Public and Political Acceptability|isbn=978-0-7546-3449-2|publisher=Ashgate Publishing|year=2003|page=248}}</ref> |
||
=== Planning and preparation === |
=== Planning and preparation === |
||
Line 109: | Line 112: | ||
In July 2002, [[Westminster City Council]] launched a legal challenge against the plans, arguing that they would increase pollution and were a breach of human rights of residents on the boundary of the zone.<ref name="bbc20020715">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2128482.stm |title=Congestion charges face legal challenge |work=BBC News |date=15 July 2002 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418182600/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2128482.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[High Court of Justice|High Court]] rejected the claim.<ref name="scotsman20020801">{{Cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/livingstone-wins-road-toll-battle-1-615051 |title=Livingstone wins road toll battle |first=Alison |last=Hardie |work=The Scotsman |publisher=Johnston Press plc |date=1 August 2002 |access-date=6 January 2008 |location=Edinburgh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418185028/http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/livingstone-wins-road-toll-battle-1-615051 |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[London Ambulance Service]] (LAS) anticipated increased volumes of traffic around the edge of the zone and an increase in demand within the zone, that might both adversely affect clinical outcomes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/publications/areport/LAS%20Annual%20Report%202001_02.pdf |title=Annual Report 2002-3 |publisher=London Ambulance Service |access-date=22 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228180759/http://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/publications/areport/LAS%20Annual%20Report%202001_02.pdf |archive-date = 28 February 2008}}</ref> |
In July 2002, [[Westminster City Council]] launched a legal challenge against the plans, arguing that they would increase pollution and were a breach of human rights of residents on the boundary of the zone.<ref name="bbc20020715">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2128482.stm |title=Congestion charges face legal challenge |work=BBC News |date=15 July 2002 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418182600/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2128482.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[High Court of Justice|High Court]] rejected the claim.<ref name="scotsman20020801">{{Cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/livingstone-wins-road-toll-battle-1-615051 |title=Livingstone wins road toll battle |first=Alison |last=Hardie |work=The Scotsman |publisher=Johnston Press plc |date=1 August 2002 |access-date=6 January 2008 |location=Edinburgh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418185028/http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/livingstone-wins-road-toll-battle-1-615051 |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[London Ambulance Service]] (LAS) anticipated increased volumes of traffic around the edge of the zone and an increase in demand within the zone, that might both adversely affect clinical outcomes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/publications/areport/LAS%20Annual%20Report%202001_02.pdf |title=Annual Report 2002-3 |publisher=London Ambulance Service |access-date=22 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228180759/http://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/publications/areport/LAS%20Annual%20Report%202001_02.pdf |archive-date = 28 February 2008}}</ref> |
||
Before the charge's introduction, there were fears of a very chaotic few days as |
Before the charge's introduction, there were fears of a very chaotic few days as people got used to the new situation. Indeed, [[Ken Livingstone]], then [[Mayor of London]] and key proponent of the charge, himself predicted a "difficult few days"<ref name="indfirst">{{Cite news |first=Matthew |last=Beard |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/livingstone-predicts-difficult-few-days-as-congestion-charge-begins-597903.html |title=Livingstone predicts 'difficult few days' as congestion charge begins |work=The Independent |date=17 February 2003 |access-date=9 April 2006 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100713210733/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/livingstone-predicts-difficult-few-days-as-congestion-charge-begins-597903.html |archive-date=13 July 2010}}</ref> and a "bloody day".<ref name="bbcfirstday">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2772583.stm |title=Congestion charge cuts traffic levels |work=BBC News |date=18 February 2003 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418182755/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2772583.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
||
On introduction, the scheme was the largest ever undertaken by a capital city.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2770721.stm |title=Smooth start for congestion charge |work=BBC News |date=18 February 2003 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418184038/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2770721.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
On introduction, the scheme was the largest ever undertaken by a capital city.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2770721.stm |title=Smooth start for congestion charge |work=BBC News |date=18 February 2003 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418184038/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2770721.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
||
Line 121: | Line 124: | ||
=== Immediate impact === |
=== Immediate impact === |
||
On the first day 190,000 vehicles moved into or within the zone during charging hours, a decrease of around 25% on normal traffic levels, partly due to it also being the half-term school holiday.<ref name="bbc20030218" /> A report from the [[Bow Group]] stated that historically, London congestion is at its worst during the morning rush hour, and that the early days of congestion charging had little impact on that critical time, the main effect occurring after 11:00 am.<ref name="bow">{{Cite journal |title=London Under Livingstone: An evaluation of Labour's Mayor |last1=Mahon|first1=Christopher|last2=Sloan|first2=Alastair|publisher=[[Bow Group|The Bow Group]] |url=http://www.bowgroup.org/files/bowgroup/London%20Under%20Livingstone%20-%20A%20Evaluation%20of%20Labour's%20Mayor.pdf |
On the first day 190,000 vehicles moved into or within the zone during charging hours, a decrease of around 25% on normal traffic levels, partly due to it also being the half-term school holiday.<ref name="bbc20030218" /> A report from the [[Bow Group]] stated that historically, London congestion is at its worst during the morning rush hour, and that the early days of congestion charging had little impact on that critical time, the main effect occurring after 11:00 am.<ref name="bow">{{Cite journal |title=London Under Livingstone: An evaluation of Labour's Mayor |last1=Mahon|first1=Christopher|last2=Sloan|first2=Alastair|publisher=[[Bow Group|The Bow Group]] |url=http://www.bowgroup.org/files/bowgroup/London%20Under%20Livingstone%20-%20A%20Evaluation%20of%20Labour's%20Mayor.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125115422/http://www.bowgroup.org/files/bowgroup/London%20Under%20Livingstone%20-%20A%20Evaluation%20of%20Labour%27s%20Mayor.pdf |archive-date=25 January 2012 }}</ref> Just over 100,000 motorists paid the charge personally, 15–20,000 were fleet vehicles paying under fleet arrangements, and it was believed around 10,000 liable motorists did not pay the due charge.<ref name="bbc20030218" /> |
||
[[File:London Congestion Charge, Old Street, England.jpg|thumb|300px|Street markings and a sign (inset) that alert drivers entering the charge zone at [[Old Street]]. The sign displays the original operating hours for the scheme.]] |
[[File:London Congestion Charge, Old Street, England.jpg|thumb|300px|Street markings and a sign (inset) that alert drivers entering the charge zone at [[Old Street]]. The sign displays the original operating hours for the scheme.]] |
||
Initial suggestions that school holidays were responsible for part of the traffic drop during the first week of operation of the charge were confirmed when traffic rose again by 5% following the return to school at the beginning of the second week of the charge. Reports indicated that, over the first month or so of operation, traffic was consistently down at least 15% on pre-charge levels, with the second week seeing the reduction drop to 20%.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2809073.stm |title=Congestion charge survives school run |work=BBC News |date=23 February 2003 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418191618/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2809073.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
Initial suggestions that school holidays were responsible for part of the traffic drop during the first week of operation of the charge were confirmed when traffic rose again by 5% following the return to school at the beginning of the second week of the charge. Reports indicated that, over the first month or so of operation, traffic was consistently down at least 15% on pre-charge levels, with the second week seeing the reduction drop to 20%.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2809073.stm |title=Congestion charge survives school run |work=BBC News |date=23 February 2003 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418191618/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2809073.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
||
Line 127: | Line 130: | ||
The [[AA Motoring Trust]] suggested that changes to the timing of traffic lights and the end of major [[road works]] had also impacted congestion.<ref name="bbc60603">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2967852.stm |title=Congestion charge cuts jams |date=6 June 2003 |access-date=23 November 2007 |work=BBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418191729/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2967852.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
The [[AA Motoring Trust]] suggested that changes to the timing of traffic lights and the end of major [[road works]] had also impacted congestion.<ref name="bbc60603">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2967852.stm |title=Congestion charge cuts jams |date=6 June 2003 |access-date=23 November 2007 |work=BBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418191729/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2967852.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
||
The effect of the congestion charge zone on local businesses is a contested issue. The TfL estimates that the effect on business has been overall neutral.<ref name="bbc20070521">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6676671.stm |title=Traders rally against charge zone |date=21 May 2007 |work=BBC News |access-date=23 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422183505/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/6676671.stm |archive-date=22 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> However the effect on business differs significantly between stores. Some shops and businesses are reported to be heavily affected by the charge, both in terms of lost sales due to reduced traffic and increased delivery costs, as recognised by the London Chamber of Commerce.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2004/04/22/cncong22.xml |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=UK |title=Congestion charge cost £300m, say Oxford St traders |first=Caroline |last=Muspratt |date=21 April 2004 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080614115756/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fmoney%2F2004%2F04%2F22%2Fcncong22.xml |archive-date=14 June 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In August 2003, the [[John Lewis Partnership]], a large department store, announced that in the first six months of the charge's operation, sales at their [[Oxford Street]] store fell by 7.3% whilst sales at other stores in the Greater London area but outside the Congestion Charge Zone rose by 1.7%.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2003/sep/05/londonpolitics.greaterlondonauthority |access-date=5 January 2008 |title=Store chief hits at congestion charge |first=Rebecca |last=Allison |date=5 September 2003 |work=The Guardian |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418191830/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2003/sep/05/londonpolitics.greaterlondonauthority |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> To partly compensate for the loss of revenue they extended opening hours and introduced regular [[Sunday shopping|Sunday opening]] for the first time.<ref>{{cite web| title = Damaging rise in congestion charge not justified, says West End store| first = Roger | last = Blitz | date = 5 July 2005 | url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6399da5a-ecf1-11d9-9d20-00000e2511c8.html | work=Financial Times |access-date=25 December 2007}}</ref> However London First's own report indicated that business was broadly supportive.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jury out on congestion charging |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3491453.stm |date=16 February 2004 |work=BBC News |access-date=28 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418192058/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3491453.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> Subsequently, another report stated that there had been a reduction in some employment in the charging zone.<ref name="layoffs">{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2003/nov/25/transportintheuk.greaterlondonauthority |title=C-charge 'leads to layoffs' |first=Andrew |last=Clark |date=25 November 2003 |work=The Guardian |access-date=6 January 2008 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418192512/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2003/nov/25/transportintheuk.greaterlondonauthority |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> TfL criticised the reports as unrepresentative and that its own statistics reported no effect on business.<ref name="layoffs" /> |
The effect of the congestion charge zone on local businesses is a contested issue. The TfL estimates that the effect on business has been overall neutral.<ref name="bbc20070521">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6676671.stm |title=Traders rally against charge zone |date=21 May 2007 |work=BBC News |access-date=23 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422183505/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/6676671.stm |archive-date=22 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> However the effect on business differs significantly between stores. Some shops and businesses are reported to be heavily affected by the charge, both in terms of lost sales due to reduced traffic and increased delivery costs, as recognised by the London Chamber of Commerce.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2004/04/22/cncong22.xml |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=UK |title=Congestion charge cost £300m, say Oxford St traders |first=Caroline |last=Muspratt |date=21 April 2004 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080614115756/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fmoney%2F2004%2F04%2F22%2Fcncong22.xml |archive-date=14 June 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In August 2003, the [[John Lewis Partnership]], a large department store, announced that in the first six months of the charge's operation, sales at their [[Oxford Street]] store fell by 7.3% whilst sales at other stores in the Greater London area but outside the Congestion Charge Zone rose by 1.7%.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2003/sep/05/londonpolitics.greaterlondonauthority |access-date=5 January 2008 |title=Store chief hits at congestion charge |first=Rebecca |last=Allison |date=5 September 2003 |work=The Guardian |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418191830/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2003/sep/05/londonpolitics.greaterlondonauthority |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> To partly compensate for the loss of revenue they extended opening hours and introduced regular [[Sunday shopping|Sunday opening]] for the first time.<ref>{{cite web| title = Damaging rise in congestion charge not justified, says West End store| first = Roger | last = Blitz | date = 5 July 2005 | url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6399da5a-ecf1-11d9-9d20-00000e2511c8.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6399da5a-ecf1-11d9-9d20-00000e2511c8.html |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | work=Financial Times |access-date=25 December 2007}}</ref> However London First's own report indicated that business was broadly supportive.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jury out on congestion charging |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3491453.stm |date=16 February 2004 |work=BBC News |access-date=28 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418192058/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3491453.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> Subsequently, another report stated that there had been a reduction in some employment in the charging zone.<ref name="layoffs">{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2003/nov/25/transportintheuk.greaterlondonauthority |title=C-charge 'leads to layoffs' |first=Andrew |last=Clark |date=25 November 2003 |work=The Guardian |access-date=6 January 2008 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418192512/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2003/nov/25/transportintheuk.greaterlondonauthority |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> TfL criticised the reports as unrepresentative and that its own statistics reported no effect on business.<ref name="layoffs" /> |
||
After the introduction of the charge, there were a number of suggestions for its future. Soon after charging commenced, Livingstone announced that he would carry out a formal review of the charge's success or failure six months after its introduction{{snd}}brought forward from one year, following the smooth start. On 25 February 2003 Livingstone stated, "I can't conceive of any circumstances in the foreseeable future where we would want to change the charge, although perhaps ten years down the line it may be necessary" referring to the amount that drivers have to pay, indicating that £5 was sufficient to bring about the reduction in traffic that he had hoped for.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2797177.stm |title='No increase' in congestion charge |work=BBC News |date=25 February 2003 |access-date=8 April 2006}}</ref> |
After the introduction of the charge, there were a number of suggestions for its future. Soon after charging commenced, Livingstone announced that he would carry out a formal review of the charge's success or failure six months after its introduction{{snd}}brought forward from one year, following the smooth start. On 25 February 2003 Livingstone stated, "I can't conceive of any circumstances in the foreseeable future where we would want to change the charge, although perhaps ten years down the line it may be necessary" referring to the amount that drivers have to pay, indicating that £5 was sufficient to bring about the reduction in traffic that he had hoped for.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2797177.stm |title='No increase' in congestion charge |work=BBC News |date=25 February 2003 |access-date=8 April 2006}}</ref> |
||
Line 142: | Line 145: | ||
In February, shortly before the [[2004 London mayoral election|June 2004 mayoral election]] TfL issued a consultation document on the expansion of the zone to the west that would cover the rest (western portion) of Westminster and the [[Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea]].<ref name="tfl20040216">{{Cite press release |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/static/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/4375.html |title=Londoners views sought on c-charge western extension |date=16 February 2004 |publisher=[[Transport for London]] |access-date=6 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816205913/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/static/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/4375.html |archive-date=16 August 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The proposed extension was to cover around 230,000 residents, compared with the 150,000 in the original zone.<ref name="westprotest">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3779091.stm |title=Protest over congestion charging |date=5 June 2004 |work=BBC News |access-date=23 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418193219/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3779091.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
In February, shortly before the [[2004 London mayoral election|June 2004 mayoral election]] TfL issued a consultation document on the expansion of the zone to the west that would cover the rest (western portion) of Westminster and the [[Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea]].<ref name="tfl20040216">{{Cite press release |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/static/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/4375.html |title=Londoners views sought on c-charge western extension |date=16 February 2004 |publisher=[[Transport for London]] |access-date=6 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816205913/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/static/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/4375.html |archive-date=16 August 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The proposed extension was to cover around 230,000 residents, compared with the 150,000 in the original zone.<ref name="westprotest">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3779091.stm |title=Protest over congestion charging |date=5 June 2004 |work=BBC News |access-date=23 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418193219/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3779091.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
||
[[Steven Norris]], the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] candidate for mayor in 2004, has been a fierce critic of the charge, branding it the "Kengestion charge" |
[[Steven Norris]], the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] candidate for mayor in 2004, has been a fierce critic of the charge, branding it the "Kengestion charge" (a blend of ''Ken'' Livingstone and Con''gestion''). A few days before the scheme came into operation, he wrote in a BBC report that it had been "shambolically organised", that the public transport network had insufficient spare capacity to cater for travellers deterred from using their cars in the area by the charge. Further, he said that the scheme would affect poorer sections of society more than the rich, with the daily charge being the same for all, regardless of vehicle size.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2752211.stm |first=Steve |last=Norris |title=Why Ken's charge will do damage for years to come |work=BBC News |date=12 February 2003 |access-date=27 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418193524/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2752211.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> He pledged to scrap it if he became mayor in June 2004 and said he would grant an amnesty to anyone with an outstanding fine for non-payment of the charge. |
||
The [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] candidate, [[Simon Hughes]], however, supported the basic principles of the scheme. Amongst some of the changes he proposed were changing the end time from 6:30 pm to 5 pm and automatically giving all vehicles five free days each year so as not to affect occasional visitors.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3542235.stm |title=Hughes will stop road toll at 5 pm |work=BBC News |date=8 March 2004 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418193649/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3542235.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
The [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] candidate, [[Simon Hughes]], however, supported the basic principles of the scheme. Amongst some of the changes he proposed were changing the end time from 6:30 pm to 5 pm and automatically giving all vehicles five free days each year so as not to affect occasional visitors.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3542235.stm |title=Hughes will stop road toll at 5 pm |work=BBC News |date=8 March 2004 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418193649/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3542235.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
||
Line 151: | Line 154: | ||
In October 2004, TfL stated that only seven of the 13 government aims for London transport would be met by 2010. The target on reducing congestion for [[Greater London]] overall will not be met, the report said.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3958931.stm | title=Road toll 'fails to cut traffic' |work=BBC News |date=27 October 2004 |access-date=8 April 2006}}</ref> |
In October 2004, TfL stated that only seven of the 13 government aims for London transport would be met by 2010. The target on reducing congestion for [[Greater London]] overall will not be met, the report said.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3958931.stm | title=Road toll 'fails to cut traffic' |work=BBC News |date=27 October 2004 |access-date=8 April 2006}}</ref> |
||
By November 2004, Livingstone directly contradicted his belief that the charge would not be raised, saying: "I have always said that during this term [his second term in office] it will go up to at least £6."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3973157.stm |title=Road toll up by 'at least £1' |work=BBC News |date=1 November 2004 |access-date=8 April 2006}}</ref> By the end of the month, Livingstone announced that, in fact, the rise would be to £8 for private vehicles and £7 for commercial traffic. Business groups such as [[London First]] said following the announcement that the charges were "totally unsatisfactory and unacceptable".<ref>{{Cite news |first=Roger |last=Blitz |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5a399a64-4340-11d9-bea1-00000e2511c8.html |title=Congestion charge rise to £8 planned by London mayor |work=Financial Times |publisher=The Financial Times Ltd |date=1 December 2004 |access-date=8 April 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4054711.stm |title=Congestion charge may rise to £8 |work=BBC News |date=30 November 2004 |access-date=8 April 2006}}</ref> The rise to £8 was announced formally on 1 April 2005, along with discounts for drivers buying month or year-long tickets.<ref name="bbc20050401">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4399059.stm |title=Congestion charge increases to £8 |work=BBC News |date=1 April 2005 |access-date=25 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418195810/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4399059.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |publisher=[[Greater London Authority]] |date=1 April 2005 |title=Congestion charge to increase to £8; fleet and regular users to receive discounts |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=4988 |access-date=25 November 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080618183023/http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=4988 |archive-date=18 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> On 10 May 2006, in a live TV debate, Livingstone supported a rise in the charge to £10 by 2008.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4760185.stm |title=Anger at '£10 congestion charge' |work=BBC News |date=11 May 2006 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418200314/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4760185.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
By November 2004, Livingstone directly contradicted his belief that the charge would not be raised, saying: "I have always said that during this term [his second term in office] it will go up to at least £6."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3973157.stm |title=Road toll up by 'at least £1' |work=BBC News |date=1 November 2004 |access-date=8 April 2006}}</ref> By the end of the month, Livingstone announced that, in fact, the rise would be to £8 for private vehicles and £7 for commercial traffic. Business groups such as [[London First]] said following the announcement that the charges were "totally unsatisfactory and unacceptable".<ref>{{Cite news |first=Roger |last=Blitz |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5a399a64-4340-11d9-bea1-00000e2511c8.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5a399a64-4340-11d9-bea1-00000e2511c8.html |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Congestion charge rise to £8 planned by London mayor |work=Financial Times |publisher=The Financial Times Ltd |date=1 December 2004 |access-date=8 April 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4054711.stm |title=Congestion charge may rise to £8 |work=BBC News |date=30 November 2004 |access-date=8 April 2006}}</ref> The rise to £8 was announced formally on 1 April 2005, along with discounts for drivers buying month or year-long tickets.<ref name="bbc20050401">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4399059.stm |title=Congestion charge increases to £8 |work=BBC News |date=1 April 2005 |access-date=25 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418195810/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4399059.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |publisher=[[Greater London Authority]] |date=1 April 2005 |title=Congestion charge to increase to £8; fleet and regular users to receive discounts |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=4988 |access-date=25 November 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080618183023/http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=4988 |archive-date=18 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> On 10 May 2006, in a live TV debate, Livingstone supported a rise in the charge to £10 by 2008.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4760185.stm |title=Anger at '£10 congestion charge' |work=BBC News |date=11 May 2006 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418200314/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4760185.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
||
A report in May 2005 stated that the number of shoppers had declined by 7% year-on-year in March, 8% in April and 11% in the first two weeks of May. TfL countered that an [[economic downturn]], the [[Progress of the SARS outbreak|SARS outbreak]] and threat of terrorism were likely factors. At the same time, a [[London Chamber of Commerce]] report indicated that 25% of businesses were planning on relocation following the charge's introduction.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-5007517-details/Congestion+charge+hammers+shops/article.do |title=Congestion charge hammers shops |first=Richard |last=Allen |work=London Evening Standard |date=27 May 2003 |access-date=26 May 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606062246/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-5007517-congestion-charge-hammers-shops.do |archive-date=6 June 2011 }}</ref> However, an independent report six months after the charge was implemented suggested that businesses were then supporting the charge. London First commissioned the study which reported that 49% of businesses felt the scheme was working and only 16% that it was failing.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2003/aug/18/londonpolitics.greaterlondonauthority |title=Business backs congestion charge |date=13 August 2003 |first=Andrew |last=Clark |access-date=26 May 2007 |work=The Guardian |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418200541/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2003/aug/18/londonpolitics.greaterlondonauthority |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Fourth Annual Review by TfL in 2004 indicated that business activity within the charge zone had been higher in both [[productivity]] and [[Profit (accounting)|profitability]] and that the charge had a "broadly neutral impact" on the London-wide economy.<ref name="tfljune2006">{{cite web |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/FourthAnnualReportFinal.pdf |title=Impacts Monitoring – Fourth Annual Report |publisher= [[Transport for London]] |date=June 2006 |access-date=29 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429042848/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/FourthAnnualReportFinal.pdf |archive-date=29 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Fifth Annual Review continued to show the central congestion zone outperforming the wider London economy.<ref name="tfljune2007" /> |
A report in May 2005 stated that the number of shoppers had declined by 7% year-on-year in March, 8% in April and 11% in the first two weeks of May. TfL countered that an [[economic downturn]], the [[Progress of the SARS outbreak|SARS outbreak]] and threat of terrorism were likely factors. At the same time, a [[London Chamber of Commerce]] report indicated that 25% of businesses were planning on relocation following the charge's introduction.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-5007517-details/Congestion+charge+hammers+shops/article.do |title=Congestion charge hammers shops |first=Richard |last=Allen |work=London Evening Standard |date=27 May 2003 |access-date=26 May 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606062246/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-5007517-congestion-charge-hammers-shops.do |archive-date=6 June 2011 }}</ref> However, an independent report six months after the charge was implemented suggested that businesses were then supporting the charge. London First commissioned the study which reported that 49% of businesses felt the scheme was working and only 16% that it was failing.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2003/aug/18/londonpolitics.greaterlondonauthority |title=Business backs congestion charge |date=13 August 2003 |first=Andrew |last=Clark |access-date=26 May 2007 |work=The Guardian |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418200541/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2003/aug/18/londonpolitics.greaterlondonauthority |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Fourth Annual Review by TfL in 2004 indicated that business activity within the charge zone had been higher in both [[productivity]] and [[Profit (accounting)|profitability]] and that the charge had a "broadly neutral impact" on the London-wide economy.<ref name="tfljune2006">{{cite web |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/FourthAnnualReportFinal.pdf |title=Impacts Monitoring – Fourth Annual Report |publisher= [[Transport for London]] |date=June 2006 |access-date=29 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429042848/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/FourthAnnualReportFinal.pdf |archive-date=29 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Fifth Annual Review continued to show the central congestion zone outperforming the wider London economy.<ref name="tfljune2007" /> |
||
Line 167: | Line 170: | ||
TfL ran a six-month trial of "tag and beacon" (transponder) from February 2006 to replace the camera-based system. This uses an electronic card affixed to the [[windscreen]] of a vehicle and can be used to produce "smart tolls" where charges can be varied dependent on time and direction of travel. This system automatically deducts the charge so that the 50,000 drivers a year who forget to pay the fine would not be penalised. TfL has suggested that this scheme could be introduced from 2009.<ref name="wasted">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/5098642.stm |title=C-charge plans 'will waste £166m' |work=BBC News |date=11 February 2003 |access-date=27 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429065433/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/5098642.stm |archive-date=29 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Electronic tags for cars as congestion charge spreads out |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article733481.ece |work=The Times |date=22 February 2006 |first=Ben |last=Webster |access-date=27 May 2007 | location=London}}</ref> |
TfL ran a six-month trial of "tag and beacon" (transponder) from February 2006 to replace the camera-based system. This uses an electronic card affixed to the [[windscreen]] of a vehicle and can be used to produce "smart tolls" where charges can be varied dependent on time and direction of travel. This system automatically deducts the charge so that the 50,000 drivers a year who forget to pay the fine would not be penalised. TfL has suggested that this scheme could be introduced from 2009.<ref name="wasted">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/5098642.stm |title=C-charge plans 'will waste £166m' |work=BBC News |date=11 February 2003 |access-date=27 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429065433/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/5098642.stm |archive-date=29 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Electronic tags for cars as congestion charge spreads out |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article733481.ece |work=The Times |date=22 February 2006 |first=Ben |last=Webster |access-date=27 May 2007 | location=London}}</ref> |
||
Shortly before it was introduced, the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) predicted that the West London extension would cause 6,000 job losses.<ref>{{Cite news |title= Congestion charge: Green lobby hails road-toll extension |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/congestion-charge-green-lobby-hails-roadtoll-extension-437070.html |first=Barrie |last=Clement |date=20 February 2007 |access-date=26 May 2007 |work=The Independent |publisher=Independent News and Media Ltd | location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206021811/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/congestion-charge-green-lobby-hails-roadtoll-extension-437070.html |archive-date=6 December 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> This was later contested by the Greater London Authority economist unit in a report, arguing the CEBR results were "unfounded".<ref>{{Cite news |title= Comments on CEBR's report on the western extension of the congestion charge |url=https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/gla_migrate_files_destination/current_issues_note_6.pdf |first=Barrie |last=Clement |date=20 February 2007 |access-date=2 March 2020 |work= GLA Economists |
Shortly before it was introduced, the [[Centre for Economics and Business Research]] (CEBR) predicted that the West London extension would cause 6,000 job losses.<ref>{{Cite news |title= Congestion charge: Green lobby hails road-toll extension |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/congestion-charge-green-lobby-hails-roadtoll-extension-437070.html |first=Barrie |last=Clement |date=20 February 2007 |access-date=26 May 2007 |work=The Independent |publisher=Independent News and Media Ltd | location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206021811/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/congestion-charge-green-lobby-hails-roadtoll-extension-437070.html |archive-date=6 December 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> This was later contested by the Greater London Authority economist unit in a report, arguing the CEBR results were "unfounded".<ref>{{Cite news |title= Comments on CEBR's report on the western extension of the congestion charge |url=https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/gla_migrate_files_destination/current_issues_note_6.pdf |first=Barrie |last=Clement |date=20 February 2007 |access-date=2 March 2020 |work= GLA Economists| location=London}}</ref> |
||
=== Introduction of the Western Extension === |
=== Introduction of the Western Extension === |
||
[[File:Brompton Road, Knightsbridge - geograph.org.uk - 481142.jpg|thumb|Traffic congestion on the [[Brompton Road]] outside [[Harrods]] (part of the [[A4 road (Great Britain)|A4]]). This road was part of the extended congestion charge zone.]] |
[[File:Brompton Road, Knightsbridge - geograph.org.uk - 481142.jpg|thumb|Traffic congestion on the [[Brompton Road]] outside [[Harrods]] (part of the [[A4 road (Great Britain)|A4]]). This road was part of the extended congestion charge zone.]] |
||
[[File:Park Lane Road sign.jpg|thumb|right|[[Park Lane (road)|Park Lane]] was one of the new free through routes during the existence of the Western Extension.]] |
[[File:Park Lane Road sign.jpg|thumb|right|[[Park Lane (road)|Park Lane]] was one of the new free through routes during the existence of the Western Extension.]] |
||
The boundary of the zone, as of 19 February 2007, started at the northern end of Vauxhall Bridge and (travelling in a clockwise direction) heads along the northern bank of the [[River Thames]] as Grosvenor Road, the [[Chelsea Embankment]] and [[Cheyne Walk]]. From there, it heads north, along the eastern edges of the [[Kensington]] and [[Earl's Court]] one-way systems, part of the [[A3220 road|A3220]], with the roads in between charged, before continuing to the [[A40 road (Great Britain)|A40]] [[Westway (London)|Westway]] as the [[Holland Road (London)|Holland Road]] and the [[West Cross Route]]. The boundary then includes parts of [[North Kensington]], but the actual boundary is defined by the [[West London Line]] railway track, which runs between Latimer Road (inside the zone) and [[Wood Lane]] (outside the zone), until Scrubs Lane, before turning east, following the [[Great Western Main Line]] out of [[Paddington Station|Paddington]] towards [[Ladbroke Grove]]. Here, the boundary followed the [[Grand Union Canal]] and rejoined the existing zone at [[Edgware Road]] after skirting [[Paddington]], by way of the Bishop's Bridge Road, Eastbourne Terrace, [[Praed Street]] and Sussex Gardens.<ref name="guardianQA">{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/feb/19/qanda.londonmayor |title=Q&A: The congestion charge |author=Simon Jeffery and Sarah Phillips |work=The Guardian |date=7 August 2006 |access-date=26 May 2007 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422171201/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/feb/19/qanda.londonmayor |archive-date=22 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
The boundary of the zone, as of 19 February 2007, started at the northern end of Vauxhall Bridge and (travelling in a clockwise direction) heads along the northern bank of the [[River Thames]] as Grosvenor Road, the [[Chelsea Embankment]] and [[Cheyne Walk]]. From there, it heads north, along the eastern edges of the [[Kensington]] and [[Earl's Court]] one-way systems, part of the [[A3220 road|A3220]], with the roads in between charged, before continuing to the [[A40 road (Great Britain)|A40]] [[Westway (London)|Westway]] as the [[Holland Road (London)|Holland Road]] and the [[West Cross Route]]. The boundary then includes parts of [[North Kensington]], but the actual boundary is defined by the [[West London Line]] railway track, which runs between Latimer Road (inside the zone) and [[Wood Lane]] (outside the zone), until Scrubs Lane, before turning east, following the [[Great Western Main Line]] out of [[Paddington Station|Paddington]] towards [[Ladbroke Grove]]. Here, the boundary followed the [[Grand Union Canal]] and rejoined the existing zone at [[Edgware Road]] after skirting [[Paddington]], by way of the Bishop's Bridge Road, Eastbourne Terrace, [[Praed Street]] and [[Sussex Gardens]].<ref name="guardianQA">{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/feb/19/qanda.londonmayor |title=Q&A: The congestion charge |author=Simon Jeffery and Sarah Phillips |work=The Guardian |date=7 August 2006 |access-date=26 May 2007 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422171201/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/feb/19/qanda.londonmayor |archive-date=22 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
||
The Western Extension was officially removed from the charging zone beginning 4 January 2011, with charging on the Western extension effectively ended on 24 December 2010 and enacted during the week of Christmas to New Year holiday period.<ref name=TfL2011>{{cite web|url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/17094.aspx |title=Consultation results|publisher=[[Transport for London]]|access-date=6 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140207224751/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/17094.aspx |archive-date=7 February 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
The Western Extension was officially removed from the charging zone beginning 4 January 2011, with charging on the Western extension effectively ended on 24 December 2010 and enacted during the week of Christmas to New Year holiday period.<ref name=TfL2011>{{cite web|url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/17094.aspx |title=Consultation results|publisher=[[Transport for London]]|access-date=6 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140207224751/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/17094.aspx |archive-date=7 February 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> |
||
Line 209: | Line 212: | ||
On 20 October 2010, TfL announced that Western Extension would formally be removed on 4 January 2011, noting that charging on the Western Extension would in practice end on 24 December 2010 at the start of the Christmas break.<ref name=TfL2011/> Other changes implemented on 4 January 2011 included an increase of the charge to £10 if paid in advance or on the day and to £12 if paid by midnight the charging day after travel, with a reduced charge of £9 for people who sign up to CC Autopay (with a £10 registration fee) which allowed users to nominate up to five vehicles with all fees being automatically debited from a nominated bank account at the end of each month.<ref name=TfL2011/> |
On 20 October 2010, TfL announced that Western Extension would formally be removed on 4 January 2011, noting that charging on the Western Extension would in practice end on 24 December 2010 at the start of the Christmas break.<ref name=TfL2011/> Other changes implemented on 4 January 2011 included an increase of the charge to £10 if paid in advance or on the day and to £12 if paid by midnight the charging day after travel, with a reduced charge of £9 for people who sign up to CC Autopay (with a £10 registration fee) which allowed users to nominate up to five vehicles with all fees being automatically debited from a nominated bank account at the end of each month.<ref name=TfL2011/> |
||
=== 2012 mayoral election === |
|||
In the lead-up to the [[2012 London mayoral election]] Johnson announced that he would give the [[Metropolitan Police]] access to cameras used to monitor vehicles travelling in the London congestion charge zone and the region-wide low emission zone, to help detect crime and would ensure that automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) was used "across all London" to help track down the vehicles of criminals.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/apr/02/boris-johnson-police-congestion-charge |title=Boris Johnson plans to give police access to congestion charge cameras |work=The Guardian |location=London |last=Hélène |first=Mulholland |date=2 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422181150/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/apr/02/boris-johnson-police-congestion-charge |archive-date=22 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> Ken Livingstone said he would freeze the congestion charge for 4 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/ken-livingstone-promises-to-freeze-congestion-charge-for-four-years/201220134|title=Ken Livingstone promises to freeze congestion charge for four years |work=Mayorwatch |date=29 March 2012 |access-date=18 April 2015}}</ref> The election was won by Johnson.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.londonelects.org.uk/download/file/fid/512 |work=London Elects |title=Declared Results |publisher=Greater London Returning Officer |last=John |first=Bennett |date=4 May 2012 |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=3 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503084802/https://londonelects.org.uk/download/file/fid/512 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
In the lead-up to the [[2012 London mayoral election]] Johnson announced that he would give the [[Metropolitan Police]] access to cameras used to monitor vehicles travelling in the London congestion charge zone and the region-wide low emission zone, to help detect crime and would ensure that automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) was used "across all London" to help track down the vehicles of criminals.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/apr/02/boris-johnson-police-congestion-charge |title=Boris Johnson plans to give police access to congestion charge cameras |work=The Guardian |location=London |last=Hélène |first=Mulholland |date=2 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422181150/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/apr/02/boris-johnson-police-congestion-charge |archive-date=22 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> Ken Livingstone said he would freeze the congestion charge for 4 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/ken-livingstone-promises-to-freeze-congestion-charge-for-four-years/201220134|title=Ken Livingstone promises to freeze congestion charge for four years |work=Mayorwatch |date=29 March 2012 |access-date=18 April 2015}}</ref> The election was won by Johnson.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.londonelects.org.uk/download/file/fid/512 |work=London Elects |title=Declared Results |publisher=Greater London Returning Officer |last=John |first=Bennett |date=4 May 2012 |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=3 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503084802/https://londonelects.org.uk/download/file/fid/512 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
||
=== 2020 |
=== 2020 === |
||
In 2020, the congestion charge was suspended from 23 March to 18 May in order to facilitate travel around the city for critical workers during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in London|COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/coronavirus-transport-london-congestion-charge-suspended-ulez-lez-a9418356.html|title=TfL suspends congestion charge, ULEZ and LEZ amid coronavirus outbreak|date=2020-03-23|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2020-03-26}}</ref><ref name="covidincrease" /> NHS and care workers are exempt from the charge.<ref name="covidincrease" /> |
In 2020, the congestion charge was suspended from 23 March to 18 May in order to facilitate travel around the city for critical workers during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in London|COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/coronavirus-transport-london-congestion-charge-suspended-ulez-lez-a9418356.html|title=TfL suspends congestion charge, ULEZ and LEZ amid coronavirus outbreak|date=2020-03-23|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2020-03-26}}</ref><ref name="covidincrease" /> NHS and care workers are exempt from the charge.<ref name="covidincrease" /> |
||
The congestion charge became controversial again with the proposed expansion of the charge to the [[Greater London]] area. Critics cite the charge's failure to reduce congestion,<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/oct/24/why-the-row-over-congestion-charge-expansion-could-tear-london-apart |title=Why the row over congestion charge expansion could tear London apart |author=Gwyn Topham |date=October 24, 2020 |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=August 16, 2021}}</ref> and see the charge as a tax on those living close to London.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/08/14/sadiq-khan-pushes-congestion-charge-expansion-plan/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/08/14/sadiq-khan-pushes-congestion-charge-expansion-plan/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Sadiq Khan pushes on with congestion charge expansion plan |author=Oliver Gill |date=August 14, 2021 |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |access-date=August 16, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> |
The congestion charge became controversial again with the proposed expansion of the charge to the [[Greater London]] area. Critics cite the charge's failure to reduce congestion,<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/oct/24/why-the-row-over-congestion-charge-expansion-could-tear-london-apart |title=Why the row over congestion charge expansion could tear London apart |author=Gwyn Topham |date=October 24, 2020 |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=August 16, 2021}}</ref> and see the charge as a tax on those living close to London.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/08/14/sadiq-khan-pushes-congestion-charge-expansion-plan/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/08/14/sadiq-khan-pushes-congestion-charge-expansion-plan/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Sadiq Khan pushes on with congestion charge expansion plan |author=Oliver Gill |date=August 14, 2021 |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |access-date=August 16, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> |
||
On the 22 June 2020 temporary measures were introduced under the terms of Transport for London's £1.6bn rescue package from the government resulting in charge rises to £15 a day and being extended from 5 to 7 days a week.<ref>{{citation |url=https://news.sky.com/story/london-congestion-charge-rises-to-15-a-day-seven-days-a-week-12012275 |title=London congestion charge rises to £15 a day and extends to 7 days a week |author=Oliver Gill |date= June 22, 2020 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> |
|||
== Effects == |
== Effects == |
||
Line 256: | Line 260: | ||
A 2011 independent study published by the [[Health Effects Institute]] (HEI), and led by a researcher from [[King's College London]], found that there is little evidence the congestion charge scheme has improved air quality. This research used modelling and also compared actual air pollutant measurements within the congestion charge zone with those of control sites located in Outer London. The investigators concluded that "it is difficult to identify significant air quality improvements from a specific program{{snd}}especially one targeted at a small area within a large city{{snd}}against the backdrop of broader regional pollutant and weather changes."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greencarcongress.com/2011/04/hei-study-finds-london-congestion-charging-scheme-shows-little-evidence-of-improving-air-quality.html#tp |title=HEI study finds London Congestion Charging Scheme shows little evidence of improving air quality|publisher=[[Green Car Congress]]|date=27 April 2011|access-date=22 May 2011}}</ref> National trends had already shown a rapid decline of some other emissions during the late 1990s, notably [[carbon monoxide]], and levels have been relatively stable since 2002 across London.{{citation needed|date=April 2012}} |
A 2011 independent study published by the [[Health Effects Institute]] (HEI), and led by a researcher from [[King's College London]], found that there is little evidence the congestion charge scheme has improved air quality. This research used modelling and also compared actual air pollutant measurements within the congestion charge zone with those of control sites located in Outer London. The investigators concluded that "it is difficult to identify significant air quality improvements from a specific program{{snd}}especially one targeted at a small area within a large city{{snd}}against the backdrop of broader regional pollutant and weather changes."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greencarcongress.com/2011/04/hei-study-finds-london-congestion-charging-scheme-shows-little-evidence-of-improving-air-quality.html#tp |title=HEI study finds London Congestion Charging Scheme shows little evidence of improving air quality|publisher=[[Green Car Congress]]|date=27 April 2011|access-date=22 May 2011}}</ref> National trends had already shown a rapid decline of some other emissions during the late 1990s, notably [[carbon monoxide]], and levels have been relatively stable since 2002 across London.{{citation needed|date=April 2012}} |
||
A 2020 study of London found that the London congestion charge led to reductions in pollution and reductions in driving, but it increased pollution from diesel taxis and buses (which are exempt from the charge).<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Green|first1=Colin P.|last2=Heywood|first2=John S.|last3=Navarro Paniagua|first3=Maria|date=2020-09-01|title=Did the London congestion charge reduce pollution?|url=http://www. |
A 2020 study of London found that the London congestion charge led to reductions in pollution and reductions in driving, but it increased pollution from diesel taxis and buses (which are exempt from the charge).<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Green|first1=Colin P.|last2=Heywood|first2=John S.|last3=Navarro Paniagua|first3=Maria|date=2020-09-01|title=Did the London congestion charge reduce pollution?|url=http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/media/lancaster-university/content-assets/documents/lums/economics/working-papers/LancasterWP2018_007.pdf|journal=Regional Science and Urban Economics|language=en|volume=84|pages=103573|doi=10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2020.103573|s2cid=169274952|issn=0166-0462}}</ref> |
||
{| class="wikitable" |
{| class="wikitable" |
||
Line 491: | Line 495: | ||
* {{Official website|http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge|Congestion Charge}} at [[Transport for London]] |
* {{Official website|http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge|Congestion Charge}} at [[Transport for London]] |
||
* [https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/pay-to-drive-in-london Congestion Charge] payment at [[Transport for London]] |
* [https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/pay-to-drive-in-london Congestion Charge] payment at [[Transport for London]] |
||
* [https://news.sky.com/story/london-congestion-charge-rises-to-15-a-day-seven-days-a-week-12012275 London Congestion Charge] rises to £15 a day and extends to 7 days a week [[news.sky.com]] |
|||
{{Congestion pricing|state=expanded}} |
{{Congestion pricing|state=expanded}} |
Latest revision as of 00:51, 17 July 2024
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Space_taken_vs_numbers_in_City_of_London_%28transport%29.png/220px-Space_taken_vs_numbers_in_City_of_London_%28transport%29.png)
This article is part of a series within the Politics of England on the |
Politics of London |
---|
![]() |
The London congestion charge is a fee charged on most cars and motor vehicles being driven within the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ)[2] in Central London between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm Monday to Friday, and between 12:00 noon and 6:00 pm Saturday and Sunday.[3][4]
Inspired by Singapore's Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system after London officials had travelled to the country, the charge was first introduced on 17 February 2003.[5] The London charge zone is one of the largest congestion charge zones in the world, despite the removal of the Western Extension which operated between February 2007 and January 2011. The charge not only helps to reduce high traffic flow in the city streets, but also reduces air and noise pollution in the central London area and raises investment funds for London's transport system.
The standard charge is £15, Monday–Friday from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, and 12-midday to 6:00 pm Saturday–Sunday (and Bank Holidays), for each non-exempt vehicle driven within the zone, with a penalty of between £65 and £195 levied for non-payment.[4] The congestion charge does not operate on Christmas Day (25 December).[6] In July 2013 the Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED) introduced more stringent emission standards that limit the free access to the congestion charge zone to all-electric cars, some plug-in hybrids, and any vehicle that emits 75 g/km or less of CO2 and meets the Euro 5 standards for air quality.[7][8] On 8 April 2019, the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) was introduced, which applies 24/7 to vehicles which do not meet the emissions standards:[9] Euro 4 standards for petrol vehicles, and Euro 6 or VI for diesel and large vehicles. In October 2021, the ULEZ was expanded to cover the Inner London area within the North and South Circular Roads,[10] and in August 2023 to all of Greater London. The ULEZ replaced the T-charge (toxicity charge) which applied to vehicles below Euro 4 standard.[11][12] Since 2021 the congestion charge exemption has applied only to pure electric vehicles and from 2025 there will be no discounts for electric vehicles.[13]
Enforcement is primarily based on automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR). Transport for London (TfL) is responsible for the charge which has been operated by IBM since 2009. During the first ten years since the introduction of the scheme, gross revenue reached about £2.6 billion up to the end of December 2013. From 2003 to 2013, about £1.2 billion has been invested in public transport, road and bridge improvement and walking and cycling schemes. Of these, a total of £960 million was invested on improvements to the bus network.
The congestion charging scheme possibly facilitated[14] a 10% reduction in traffic volumes from baseline conditions, and an overall reduction of 11% in vehicle kilometres in London between 2000 and 2012, though these changes cannot be causally attributed to the congestion charge.[14] Despite these gains, traffic speeds have also been getting progressively slower over the past decade, particularly in central London. TfL explains that the historic decline in traffic speeds is most likely due to interventions that have reduced the effective capacity of the road network in order to improve the urban environment, increase road safety and prioritise public transport, pedestrian and cycle traffic, as well as an increase in road works by utilities and general development activity since 2006. TfL concluded in 2006 that, while levels of congestion in central London are close to levels before the congestion charge was implemented, its effectiveness in reducing traffic volumes means that conditions would be worse without the congestion charging scheme,[15] though later studies emphasise that causality has not been established.[14]
Present scheme
[edit]Boundary
[edit]The current congestion charge zone covers the area within the London Inner Ring Road which includes both the City of London, which is the main financial district, and also the West End, which is London's primary commercial and entertainment centre.[16] Although primarily a commercial area, there are also 136,000 residents, out of a total Greater London population of almost 9,000,000. There is little heavy industry within the zone.
Starting at the northernmost point and moving clockwise, the major roads defining the boundary are Pentonville Road, City Road, Old Street, Commercial Street, Mansell Street, Tower Bridge Road, New Kent Road, Elephant and Castle, Kennington Lane, Vauxhall Bridge Road, Park Lane, Edgware Road, Marylebone Road and Euston Road (other roads fill the small gaps between these roads). Signs were erected and symbols painted on the road to help drivers recognise the congestion charge area.[17]
The Western Extension, introduced in February 2007 and removed on 4 January 2011, included areas surrounded by the following roads starting from the north-westernmost point: Scrubs Lane, Harrow Road, Westway (part of the A40), Park Lane, Vauxhall Bridge Road, Grosvenor Road, Chelsea Embankment, Earl's Court Road and part of the West Cross Route (A3320), but the Westway itself was not part of the zone.[18]
Charges
[edit]In January 2013, Transport for London opened a public consultation to increase the standard charge by 15% by mid 2014, from £10 per day to £11.50, if paid in advance or on the day. The increase was expected to generate an estimated £84 million of additional revenue by the end of 2017/18. The consultation process ran from January 2014 to March 2014. According to TfL, the objective of the increase was to recoup inflation over the past three years and ensure the charge remains an effective deterrent to making unnecessary journeys in central London.[19]
On 15 May 2020, the Congestion Charge was re-implemented following a period of suspension during the COVID-19 pandemic. From 22 June 2020, it will temporarily run from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm seven days a week (as opposed to the previous 7:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays), and the daily charge will rise from £11.50 to £15 per day for a period of one year.[4]
Date | Charge | Increase | Increase per year (avg) |
---|---|---|---|
February 2003 | £5 | – | - |
July 2005 | £8 | 60% | 26.7%pa |
January 2011 | £10 | 25% | 4.5%pa |
June 2014 | £11.50 | 15% | 4.4%pa |
June 2020 | £15.00 | 30.4% | 5.1%pa |
Fees and penalties
[edit]As of 27 July 2020[update], the following penalty charges apply:[22]
The standard fee is £15 per day if paid in advance, by midnight on the day of travel, or if registered with Fleet Auto Pay or CC Autopay, an automated payment system which records the number of charging days a vehicle travels within the charging zone each month and bills the customer debit or credit card each month, or £17.50 if paid by midnight the third day after travel.[22] Failure to pay after the third day after travel results in the issuance of a Penalty Charge Notice for £160, reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days, but increased to £240 if unpaid after 28 days.[23]
Discounts and exemptions
[edit]Refunds are available to people who pay monthly or annually in advance whose plans change; reimbursements are available to NHS patients assessed to be too ill to travel by public transport, NHS staff using vehicles on official business, and care home employees.[4][24] Residents living within or very close to the zone are eligible for a 90% discount which is charged via CC Autopay.[25]
The system gives 100% discounts to registered cars which emit 75 g/km or less of carbon dioxide and meet the Euro 5 emission standard, vehicles with nine or more seats, motor-tricycles, two-wheeled motorcycles (and sidecars), mopeds, accredited breakdown companies, and roadside recovery vehicles.[25] All-electric vehicles (BEVs) and eligible plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) qualify for a 100% congestion charge discount. A plug-in electric drive vehicle qualifies if the vehicle is registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and has a fuel type of "electric", or alternatively, if the vehicle is a "plug-in hybrid" and is on the government's list of PHEVs eligible for the OLEV grant.[26] As of February 2016[update], approved PHEVs include all extended-range vehicles such as the BMW i3 REx, and plug-in hybrids such as the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron, BMW i8, Mitsubishi Outlander P-HEV (passenger and van variants), Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and Volkswagen Golf GTE.[27]
Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) were exempt from the charge but the PHV exemption ended in April 2019, except for PHVs which are wheelchair accessible vehicles.[13]
End of Greener Vehicle Discount
[edit]In November 2012, TfL presented a proposal to end the Greener Vehicle Discount that benefited mainly vehicles with small diesel engines, that avoid the charge because their engines produce emissions of less than 100 g/km of CO2.[28] The proposal was approved by Mayor Boris Johnson in April 2013 and the Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED) went into effect on 1 July 2013. The ULED introduced more stringent emission standards that limit the free access to the congestion charge zone to all-electric cars, some plug-in hybrids, and any car or van that emits 75 g/km or less of CO2 and meets the Euro 5 emission standards for air quality. As of July 2013[update], there are no internal combustion-only vehicles that meet these criteria. The measure was designed to curb the growing number of diesel vehicles on London's roads. About 20,000 owners of vehicles registered for the Greener Vehicle Discount by June 2013 were granted a three-year sunset period before they have to pay the full congestion charge. Other changes were the removal of the option to pay the charge in shops, and the penalty charge was increased to £10.[7][29][30][31] The sunset period ended on 24 June 2016.[8] In December 2018, a further tightening of the standards was announced, in part to bring standards beyond that of the ULEZ. This means that since April 2019 only vehicles which are Euro 6, emit up to 75 g/km of CO2 and have a minimum 20 mile zero emission range have qualified for the discount. A further phase from October 2021 will mean that only zero-emission vehicles (pure electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles) can qualify, and the discount will be phased out completely from December 2025.[13]
T-Charge emissions surcharge
[edit]An emissions surcharge, known as the Toxicity Charge or T-Charge, was introduced on 23 October 2017. It operated for the same hours as the congestion charge (7:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays).[32] Older cars and vans that did not meet Euro 4 standards had to pay an extra £10 charge on top of the congestion charge to drive in central London, within the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ). The charge typically applied to diesel and petrol vehicles registered before 2006, and the levy affected up to 10,000 vehicles. The public consultation on the T-Charge proposals began in July 2016.[11][12]
London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced the introduction of the scheme on 17 February 2017 after London achieved record air pollution levels in January 2017, and the city was put on a high pollution alert for the first time ever, as cold and stationary weather failed to clear toxic pollutants emitted mainly by diesel vehicles.[33]
In December 2017, TfL said that the charge had cut the number of non-compliant vehicles by around 1,000 per day, with the remaining 2,000 paying the £10 charge (a further 3,000 vehicles are eligible for discounts due to Blue Badges etc.).[34]
The T-Charge was replaced by the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on 8 April 2019. For the ULEZ sunset period the T-Charge was still levied for uncompliant vehicles on holders of the residents' discount.[35]
Ultra Low Emission Zone
[edit]The ULEZ went into effect in April 2019 and replaced the T-Charge.[36] It initially covered the same area as the T-Charge and the Congestion Charge Zone but applies 24/7, every day of the year (except Christmas Day), with charges of £12.50 a day for cars, vans and motorcycles, and £100 a day for lorries, buses and coaches. The ULEZ caused a 20% reduction in emissions and resulted in a drop of non compliant vehicles entering the zone each day from 35,578 to 23,054.[37][38] The zone was extended to the North Circular and South Circular roads in October 2021 and was extended to the whole of Greater London from 29 August 2023.[10][39][40]
Suspensions, avoidance and evasion
[edit]TfL can and does suspend the congestion charge either in a small local area to cope with incidents and if directed to do so by a police officer.[41] The congestion charge was suspended on 7 and 8 July 2005 in response to the terrorist attacks on London Transport.[42] The congestion charge was also suspended on 2 February 2009, in response to an extreme weather event (heavy snowfall) in the London area.[43]
Although avoidance has become more sophisticated, compliance with the scheme and terms of payment has improved over the last few years,[when?] as is evidenced by the income from penalties dropping by approximately a quarter between 2005 and 2007. However, even after charges were increased, enforcement charges still made up a significant proportion (42–48%) of total revenues.[44][45]
The 2008 annual report on the operation of the scheme shows that around 26% of penalties go unpaid, because the notice is cancelled on appeal or the amount cannot be recovered, for example if the registered keeper of the vehicle cannot be traced, has died, or is bankrupt.[46]
Several newspapers have reported about the use of copied number plates to avoid the congestion charge, resulting in vehicle owners receiving penalty notices for failure to pay when their vehicles have not been inside the zone. Numbers known to be copied are stored in a database and trigger alerts, including police vehicle ANPR camera alerts, when observed in use.[47][48]
Payment by embassies
[edit]Following pressure from the Mayor of London,[49] an increasing number of embassies accepted the charge and by 2008 a total of 99 out of 128 embassies had agreed to the charge. Among others, decliners include Germany, Japan, Russia and the United States, who, by 2015, collectively owed £95 million.[50] The United States and Germany are reported to consider it to be a local tax, from which they are protected by the Vienna Convention, rather than a toll.[51]
In May 2011, Johnson raised the issue with the President of the United States, Barack Obama, who was fined £120 after driving through London in the Presidential state car without paying the toll during a state visit to Buckingham Palace. The United States subsequently claimed diplomatic immunity. A TfL spokesperson noted that US embassies do pay tolls in Oslo and Singapore.[52] In 2024 Transport for London estimated that, by the end of 2023, £143 million was owed by foreign embassies in London: since the charge was introduced in 2003, the US Embassy owed the most with £14.6 million, followed by Japan at £10 million, India with £8.5 million, and Nigeria with £8.4 million.[53]
History
[edit]Background
[edit]The government's Smeed Report of 1964 was the first full assessment of the practicality of road pricing in a British city on the basis of congestion.[54][55][56] It recommended a method of "car user restraint" by a variable system of charging for road usage – if the government had the will to do so. During the early years of the Greater London Council, which was formed in 1965, the first plans were drawn up for a system of cordon charging or supplementary licensing for use in the central area. A formal study was undertaken into the merits of the scheme, and in 1973 concluded that it would improve traffic and environmental conditions in the centre.[57] These plans were being developed at the same time as the London Ringways, a series of four orbital motorways around and within London including Ringway 1 (the London Motorway Box) leading to widespread public protest by Homes before Roads and others. Only a small section of these road schemes had been implemented[58] by the time Labour gained control in the 1973 Greater London Council elections, and the new administration abandoned the road building plans in favour of public transport and traffic management.[59] The new administration, to which Ken Livingstone had just been elected for the first time,[60] studied a congestion scheme similar to the one which was eventually adopted the following year.[61]
Planning and preparation
[edit]In 1995, the London Congestion Research Programme concluded that the city's economy would benefit from a congestion charge scheme,[62] the Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997 required local authorities to study and reduce traffic volumes[63] and any future London mayors were given the power to introduce "Road user charging" by the Greater London Authority Act 1999.[64] In his manifesto for the 2000 London Mayoral election, Ken Livingstone had proposed to introduce a £5 charge for vehicles entering central London.[65]
Following his victory, the Mayor made a draft order and requested a report from TfL, which summarised the reasons for introducing the scheme.[66] The scheme was to be introduced to reduce congestion in the centre of the capital following the Draft Transport Strategy of January 2001 which had highlighted the importance that the Mayor placed on tackling this issue.[66] The charge was to be part of a series of measures to improve the transport system in London and was to combined with public transport improvements and increased enforcement of parking and traffic regulations. The report stated that the scheme was expected to be the most effective in reducing through traffic, reducing congestion both within and outside the zone, improving the speed of buses and the quality of life in central London.[66] It was stated that improved traffic flows would make London more attractive to business investment.[66] Substantial net revenues were anticipated, which were to be invested in London's transport system.[66] It also states that 90% of those who responded to a consultation on the scheme, viewed reducing traffic congestion in central London as 'important'.[66]
In July 2002, Westminster City Council launched a legal challenge against the plans, arguing that they would increase pollution and were a breach of human rights of residents on the boundary of the zone.[67] The High Court rejected the claim.[68] The London Ambulance Service (LAS) anticipated increased volumes of traffic around the edge of the zone and an increase in demand within the zone, that might both adversely affect clinical outcomes.[69]
Before the charge's introduction, there were fears of a very chaotic few days as people got used to the new situation. Indeed, Ken Livingstone, then Mayor of London and key proponent of the charge, himself predicted a "difficult few days"[70] and a "bloody day".[71]
On introduction, the scheme was the largest ever undertaken by a capital city.[72]
Introduction (February 2003)
[edit]The charge was introduced on 17 February 2003 covering the approximate area of the London Inner Ring Road. Starting at the northernmost point and moving clockwise, the major roads defining the boundary were Pentonville Road, City Road, Old Street, Commercial Street, Mansell Street, Tower Bridge Road, New Kent Road, Elephant and Castle, Vauxhall Bridge Road, Park Lane, Edgware Road, Marylebone Road and Euston Road (other roads filled the small gaps between these roads). The zone therefore included the whole of the City of London, the financial district, and the West End, London's primary commercial and entertainment centre.[16]
On the launch date of the original zone, an extra 300 buses (out of a total of around 8,000) were introduced.[73] Bus and London Underground managers reported that buses and tubes were a little, if at all, busier than normal.[74]
Originally, Capita Group maintained the system under a five-year contract worth around £230m.[75] Having been threatened with the termination of the contract by Ken Livingstone, then Mayor of London, for poor performance, when the zone was subsequently extended, Capita was awarded an extension to the original contract up until February 2009 to cover the expanded zone.[76] Capita employed sub-contractors including India-based Mastek, who were responsible for much of the Information Technology infrastructure.[77] Due to the wide spread of sub-contractors around the world and due to varying data protection regulations in different countries, the scheme had prompted concerns about privacy.[78]
Immediate impact
[edit]On the first day 190,000 vehicles moved into or within the zone during charging hours, a decrease of around 25% on normal traffic levels, partly due to it also being the half-term school holiday.[74] A report from the Bow Group stated that historically, London congestion is at its worst during the morning rush hour, and that the early days of congestion charging had little impact on that critical time, the main effect occurring after 11:00 am.[79] Just over 100,000 motorists paid the charge personally, 15–20,000 were fleet vehicles paying under fleet arrangements, and it was believed around 10,000 liable motorists did not pay the due charge.[74]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/London_Congestion_Charge%2C_Old_Street%2C_England.jpg/300px-London_Congestion_Charge%2C_Old_Street%2C_England.jpg)
Initial suggestions that school holidays were responsible for part of the traffic drop during the first week of operation of the charge were confirmed when traffic rose again by 5% following the return to school at the beginning of the second week of the charge. Reports indicated that, over the first month or so of operation, traffic was consistently down at least 15% on pre-charge levels, with the second week seeing the reduction drop to 20%.[80]
The AA Motoring Trust suggested that changes to the timing of traffic lights and the end of major road works had also impacted congestion.[81]
The effect of the congestion charge zone on local businesses is a contested issue. The TfL estimates that the effect on business has been overall neutral.[82] However the effect on business differs significantly between stores. Some shops and businesses are reported to be heavily affected by the charge, both in terms of lost sales due to reduced traffic and increased delivery costs, as recognised by the London Chamber of Commerce.[83] In August 2003, the John Lewis Partnership, a large department store, announced that in the first six months of the charge's operation, sales at their Oxford Street store fell by 7.3% whilst sales at other stores in the Greater London area but outside the Congestion Charge Zone rose by 1.7%.[84] To partly compensate for the loss of revenue they extended opening hours and introduced regular Sunday opening for the first time.[85] However London First's own report indicated that business was broadly supportive.[86] Subsequently, another report stated that there had been a reduction in some employment in the charging zone.[87] TfL criticised the reports as unrepresentative and that its own statistics reported no effect on business.[87]
After the introduction of the charge, there were a number of suggestions for its future. Soon after charging commenced, Livingstone announced that he would carry out a formal review of the charge's success or failure six months after its introduction – brought forward from one year, following the smooth start. On 25 February 2003 Livingstone stated, "I can't conceive of any circumstances in the foreseeable future where we would want to change the charge, although perhaps ten years down the line it may be necessary" referring to the amount that drivers have to pay, indicating that £5 was sufficient to bring about the reduction in traffic that he had hoped for.[88]
The London Assembly Budget Committee 2003 report on the company criticised the contract with Capita as not providing value for money.[89] It was reported in July 2003 that TfL agreed to subsidise Capita by paying it £31 million because it was making no profits from the project, and that the most critical problem was the 103,000 outstanding penalty notices not paid.[90]
On 23 October 2003 TfL published a report reviewing the first six months of the charge. The report's main findings were that the average number of cars and delivery vehicles entering the central zone was 60,000 fewer than the previous year. Around 50–60% of this reduction was attributed to transfers to public transport, 20–30% to journeys avoiding the zone, 15–25% switching to car share, and the remainder to reduced number of journeys, more travelling outside the hours of operation, and increased use of motorbikes and bicycles. Journey times were found to have been reduced by 14%. Variation in journey time for a particular route repeated on many occasions also decreased. The report also claimed that although the charge was responsible for about 4,000 fewer people visiting the zone daily, that the charge was responsible for only a small fraction of the 7% drop in retail sales reported.[91][92] The report also stated that around 100,000 penalty fines were issued each month, of which about 2,000 were contested.[91] By comparison, the initial seven-month trial in 2006 of the Stockholm congestion tax in the Swedish capital saw an average 25% reduction in traffic numbers.[93]
In November 2003, Scientific American magazine listed Ken Livingstone as one of the top 50 visionaries building a better world and who were considered to have contributed most to science and technology during the year.[94] They praised the mayor for his "guts and leadership" in introducing the charge which had reduced traffic and his "courage" in combating a classic case of externality, i.e. "the exploitation of common resources by some people at the expense of others". They noted that other cities were now considering similar projects.[95]
2004 election campaign
[edit]In February, shortly before the June 2004 mayoral election TfL issued a consultation document on the expansion of the zone to the west that would cover the rest (western portion) of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.[96] The proposed extension was to cover around 230,000 residents, compared with the 150,000 in the original zone.[97]
Steven Norris, the Conservative Party candidate for mayor in 2004, has been a fierce critic of the charge, branding it the "Kengestion charge" (a blend of Ken Livingstone and Congestion). A few days before the scheme came into operation, he wrote in a BBC report that it had been "shambolically organised", that the public transport network had insufficient spare capacity to cater for travellers deterred from using their cars in the area by the charge. Further, he said that the scheme would affect poorer sections of society more than the rich, with the daily charge being the same for all, regardless of vehicle size.[98] He pledged to scrap it if he became mayor in June 2004 and said he would grant an amnesty to anyone with an outstanding fine for non-payment of the charge.
The Liberal Democrat candidate, Simon Hughes, however, supported the basic principles of the scheme. Amongst some of the changes he proposed were changing the end time from 6:30 pm to 5 pm and automatically giving all vehicles five free days each year so as not to affect occasional visitors.[99]
Preparing for the Western Extension
[edit]In August 2004, following Livingstone's re-election, the results of the consultation on the Western Extension were published which showed that a substantial majority of respondents did not want the extension;[100] however, Livingstone said he was going ahead and that the polls were a "charade" which did not diminish his electoral mandate. "A consultation is not a referendum" he said.[101] Protests continued against the extension,[102] with residents arguing that only 5% of the road space in the selected area was congested.[103] Following on in May 2005 a further TfL consultation began with specific proposals about the extensions. These included a plan to reduce the operating hours of the charge by half-an-hour to "boost trade at London's theatres, restaurants and cinemas".[104][105]
In October 2004, TfL stated that only seven of the 13 government aims for London transport would be met by 2010. The target on reducing congestion for Greater London overall will not be met, the report said.[106]
By November 2004, Livingstone directly contradicted his belief that the charge would not be raised, saying: "I have always said that during this term [his second term in office] it will go up to at least £6."[107] By the end of the month, Livingstone announced that, in fact, the rise would be to £8 for private vehicles and £7 for commercial traffic. Business groups such as London First said following the announcement that the charges were "totally unsatisfactory and unacceptable".[108][109] The rise to £8 was announced formally on 1 April 2005, along with discounts for drivers buying month or year-long tickets.[110][111] On 10 May 2006, in a live TV debate, Livingstone supported a rise in the charge to £10 by 2008.[112]
A report in May 2005 stated that the number of shoppers had declined by 7% year-on-year in March, 8% in April and 11% in the first two weeks of May. TfL countered that an economic downturn, the SARS outbreak and threat of terrorism were likely factors. At the same time, a London Chamber of Commerce report indicated that 25% of businesses were planning on relocation following the charge's introduction.[113] However, an independent report six months after the charge was implemented suggested that businesses were then supporting the charge. London First commissioned the study which reported that 49% of businesses felt the scheme was working and only 16% that it was failing.[114] The Fourth Annual Review by TfL in 2004 indicated that business activity within the charge zone had been higher in both productivity and profitability and that the charge had a "broadly neutral impact" on the London-wide economy.[115] The Fifth Annual Review continued to show the central congestion zone outperforming the wider London economy.[45]
In May 2005, businessman Miguel Camacho set up fivepounds.co.uk (referring to the then-current pricing), whose sole function was to sign up private drivers to their "fleet", thus offering the convenience of not having to pay the charge pro-actively, avoiding fines in the case of a forgotten journey and also potentially getting a "free journey" if undetected by the cameras. TfL moved quickly to quash the loophole, by demanding that fleet operators provide the registration document for each vehicle in their fleet. Fivepounds went out of business on 26 February 2006.[116]
The June 2005 increase in charges by 60% only resulted in a relatively small rise in revenues, as there were fewer penalty payments. The anticipated start-up costs of the Western extension were £125 million with operating costs of £33 million; expected gross revenues were expected to be £80 million, resulting in net revenues of £50 million.[117]
In 2005, the Liberal Democrats claimed that Capita had been fined £4.5 million for missing the targets set for the congestion charge, that was equivalent to £7,400 for every day that the charge had existed.[118]
At the end of September 2005, London Mayor Ken Livingstone confirmed the western expansion of the congestion charge, which came into effect on 19 February 2007.[119][120] It was expected that the extension would increase congestion in the zone by around 5% as the 60,000 residents in the new zone will be entitled to the discounts available.[121] Several roads were also to be left charge-free between the original zone and the extension.[122][123]
In 2005, The Guardian obtained documentation under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which showed that out of 65,534 penalty tickets issued to non UK-registered vehicles, only 1,993 had been paid.[124]
TfL ran a six-month trial of "tag and beacon" (transponder) from February 2006 to replace the camera-based system. This uses an electronic card affixed to the windscreen of a vehicle and can be used to produce "smart tolls" where charges can be varied dependent on time and direction of travel. This system automatically deducts the charge so that the 50,000 drivers a year who forget to pay the fine would not be penalised. TfL has suggested that this scheme could be introduced from 2009.[125][126]
Shortly before it was introduced, the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) predicted that the West London extension would cause 6,000 job losses.[127] This was later contested by the Greater London Authority economist unit in a report, arguing the CEBR results were "unfounded".[128]
Introduction of the Western Extension
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Brompton_Road%2C_Knightsbridge_-_geograph.org.uk_-_481142.jpg/220px-Brompton_Road%2C_Knightsbridge_-_geograph.org.uk_-_481142.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Park_Lane_Road_sign.jpg/220px-Park_Lane_Road_sign.jpg)
The boundary of the zone, as of 19 February 2007, started at the northern end of Vauxhall Bridge and (travelling in a clockwise direction) heads along the northern bank of the River Thames as Grosvenor Road, the Chelsea Embankment and Cheyne Walk. From there, it heads north, along the eastern edges of the Kensington and Earl's Court one-way systems, part of the A3220, with the roads in between charged, before continuing to the A40 Westway as the Holland Road and the West Cross Route. The boundary then includes parts of North Kensington, but the actual boundary is defined by the West London Line railway track, which runs between Latimer Road (inside the zone) and Wood Lane (outside the zone), until Scrubs Lane, before turning east, following the Great Western Main Line out of Paddington towards Ladbroke Grove. Here, the boundary followed the Grand Union Canal and rejoined the existing zone at Edgware Road after skirting Paddington, by way of the Bishop's Bridge Road, Eastbourne Terrace, Praed Street and Sussex Gardens.[129]
The Western Extension was officially removed from the charging zone beginning 4 January 2011, with charging on the Western extension effectively ended on 24 December 2010 and enacted during the week of Christmas to New Year holiday period.[130]
TfL provided some free through routes, where drivers do not have to pay the charge. The main route was defined by the western boundary of the original zone Vauxhall Bridge Road, Grosvenor Place, Park Lane and Edgware Road, with some additions around Victoria. To the north, the through route is the Marylebone Road, Euston Road and Pentonville Road. The Westway flyover at the eastern end is the other exempt route even though it cuts across the north-west corner of the zone.[131]
In May 2007, a survey of 150 local businesses stated they had seen an average drop in business of 25% following the introduction of the charge. TfL disputed the findings, stating that there had been "no overall effect" on business and that it had outperformed the rest of the UK in the central zone during 2006.[82]
In 2007 a green motoring website alleged to TfL that owners of luxury cars were registering their vehicles as minicabs to qualify for exemption from the charge. Registering a vehicle as a minicab costs £82 plus £27 per year licence fee, much less than the congestion charge. TfL responded that it carried out regular checks to confirm that cars were being used for the purposes they were registered for, and that they had not discovered any such cases.[132]
Transport for London consulted on a charge for the Blackwall Tunnel in east London, but these proposals were suspended in November 2007 following significant opposition from the public.[133] Former Mayor Ken Livingstone has stated that he had "absolutely no plans to set up a congestion charging zone to charge vehicles that use the Blackwall Tunnel or the Blackwall Tunnel Approach Road. But if Greenwich wishes to do so on any of its roads then I will support them".[134]
Proposed CO2 emissions based charging
[edit]In 2006 mayor Ken Livingstone proposed variable charges based on CO2 emission rate Vehicle Excise Duty bands.[135] Charges would be reduced or eliminated for Band A vehicles, but would be increase it to up to £25 a day for the most polluting Band G vehicles.[136] Consultation on these proposals began in August 2007[137] and ended on 19 October 2007.[138] On 12 February 2008 TfL announced that they would introduce a new charging structure for vehicles entering the congestion zone, based on potential CO2 emission rates on 27 October 2008 following the imminent mayoral elections.[139][140] The main change would be the introduction of two new fees:
- £25 per day (with no residents' discount) for cars which, if first registered on or after 1 March 2001 are rated in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) "Band G" (emitting above 225g/km of CO2), or if first registered before 1 March 2001 have an engine capacity of greater than 3000 cc and for pickups with two rows of seats which either are rated as emitting above 225g/km of CO2 or which have an engine capacity of greater than 3000 cc.[139] In Alistair Darling's 2008 budget it was announced that VED Band G would be lowered to 151g/km of CO2. TfL had not clarified whether the £25 daily charge would be linked to the band until the point became moot as the scheme was cancelled.
- £0 per day (a 100% discount) for cars that either are rated as emitting less than 100g/km CO2 and which meet the Euro 5 air pollution emissions standard or which are rated as emitting no more than 120g/km CO2 and which appear on the PowerShift register.[139]
According to a report commissioned by Land Rover, the scheme would increase traffic delays and air pollution.[138][141] Porsche announced they intended to request a judicial review,[142] claiming that the new charges were disproportionate and would make no "meaningful difference" to the environment.[143] Acting director of the RAC Sheila Raingner commented that "The congestion charge was originally developed to reduce congestion and that the changes would confuse the public and reduce support and trust for future initiatives."[144]
At the request of Porsche, King's College released the full report of the possible effects of the new system that was originally commissioned by Transport for London which indicated that the proposed new system would reduce CO2 emissions in central London by 2,200 tonnes by 2012, but would increase CO2 emissions by 182,000 tonnes in outer London, due to drivers of more polluting vehicles avoiding congestion charge zones. A spokesman Transport for London stated that the methodology used by King's was "less robust and accurate than TfL's methodology" and that their findings suggested reductions of up to 5,000 tonnes of CO2 by 2009. They claimed that King's College agreed with these results and were making revisions to their report.[145][146]
2008 mayoral election
[edit]The congestion charge remained an issue during the run up to the 2008 mayoral election. Boris Johnson, the Conservative Party candidate said he would look at a graduated charging scheme, would consult on whether to reduce the size of the charging zone and would not introduce the proposed emissions based charging system.[147] Brian Paddick, the Liberal Democrat candidate, suggested exempting delivery vehicles from the charge.[148][149] Johnson was elected and immediately announced that the emissions based charges would not be implemented.[150]
Johnson administration
[edit]Following his election, Johnson announced that the CO2 emissions based charging would not go ahead,[150] saying "I am delighted that we have been able to scrap the £25 charge, which would have hit families and small businesses hardest. I believe the proposal would actually have made congestion worse by allowing thousands of small cars in for free".[150] Porsche announced that they had been successful in the high court and had been awarded their legal costs which would run to "a six-figure sum". Their managing director said: "The charge was clearly unfair and was actually going to increase emissions in London... Porsche is proud to have played a decisive role in striking down such a blatantly political tax increase targeting motorists."[151]
Johnson also announced that he would review the Western Extension following a public consultation planned for September 2008.[152] Having held this consultation with residents he announced that the extension would be removed by 2010. Out of 28,000 people who responded to the consultation, 67% of the respondents, including 86% of businesses, said they wanted the extended zone removed.[153]
On 20 October 2010, TfL announced that Western Extension would formally be removed on 4 January 2011, noting that charging on the Western Extension would in practice end on 24 December 2010 at the start of the Christmas break.[130] Other changes implemented on 4 January 2011 included an increase of the charge to £10 if paid in advance or on the day and to £12 if paid by midnight the charging day after travel, with a reduced charge of £9 for people who sign up to CC Autopay (with a £10 registration fee) which allowed users to nominate up to five vehicles with all fees being automatically debited from a nominated bank account at the end of each month.[130]
In the lead-up to the 2012 London mayoral election Johnson announced that he would give the Metropolitan Police access to cameras used to monitor vehicles travelling in the London congestion charge zone and the region-wide low emission zone, to help detect crime and would ensure that automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) was used "across all London" to help track down the vehicles of criminals.[154] Ken Livingstone said he would freeze the congestion charge for 4 years.[155] The election was won by Johnson.[156]
2020
[edit]In 2020, the congestion charge was suspended from 23 March to 18 May in order to facilitate travel around the city for critical workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.[157][4] NHS and care workers are exempt from the charge.[4]
The congestion charge became controversial again with the proposed expansion of the charge to the Greater London area. Critics cite the charge's failure to reduce congestion,[158] and see the charge as a tax on those living close to London.[159]
On the 22 June 2020 temporary measures were introduced under the terms of Transport for London's £1.6bn rescue package from the government resulting in charge rises to £15 a day and being extended from 5 to 7 days a week.[160]
Effects
[edit]A number of studies have been made of its effects on congestion, traffic levels, road safety, the use of public transport, the environment, and business activity matters. These effects cannot be causally attributed to the congestion charge, as the trends in these factors began before the introduction of the congestion charge, and continued largely unchanged after the introduction of the charge.[14]
Traffic changes
[edit]Traffic volume
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/London_congestion_cars_2008.png/220px-London_congestion_cars_2008.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/London_congestion_cycles.png/220px-London_congestion_cycles.png)
A year before the congestion zone, TfL set up automatic traffic counters and augmented them with regular classified traffic counts at key locations, to monitor flows.[45]
TfL's report in June 2007 found that the number of chargeable vehicles entering the zone had reduced by 30% (primarily cars and minicabs, although vans and lorries had decreased by 13%), while there were overall increases in the numbers of taxis, buses, and especially bicycles. The daily profile of traffic flows had changed, with less traffic after 9:30 am and a peak immediately before and after the end of the charging period. The level of traffic entering the zone during the morning peak had not reduced as much as at other times.[45] The overall level of traffic of all vehicle types entering the central Congestion Charge Zone was consistently 16% lower in 2006 than the pre-charge levels in 2002.[45] Year on year, counts of inbound traffic approaching the zone had also seen a distinct and significant 5–7% decline in the number of chargeable vehicles, which was unexplained.[45] They had noted a small but pervasive long-term trend of less traffic entering the zone, expected to be a result of people changing their location and lifestyle, perhaps influenced by the charge. The conservative Bow Group noted that the main effect occurred after 11 am.[79]
Once within the charging zone car and delivery traffic remained unchanged, suggesting that the journeys made by residents and businesses within the zone were broadly unaffected. Changes to the road network over the years has made direct comparisons difficult, but TfL suspect that certain routes used heavily by taxis and buses within the zone have seen substantially increased traffic. On some of the boundary roads traffic numbers had increased slightly but congestion and delays were largely unchanged from 2002 levels.
Following the introduction of the Western Extension, TfL stated that traffic had fallen around 10 to 15% in the extended zone.[82] The original zone showed a 4% increase in congestion, following expansion of the congestion charging area and the introduction of discounts extended to residents of the new zone and buffer zone.[161] TfL assessed the increase in charges in 2005 to have had only a slight impact overall.[45]
In February 2013, ten years after the scheme introduction, TfL reported a 10% reduction in traffic levels from baseline conditions.[19] TfL assessed that the scheme has had a significant impact in shifting people away from using cars, contributing to an overall reduction of 11% in vehicle kilometres in London between 2000 and 2012.[15]
Traffic speeds
[edit]The charge operates for under one third of the hours in a year and covers around two-thirds of the central London traffic.[45] In total 8% of traffic kilometres (miles) are affected by the scheme.[45] TfL have extrapolated the trends in road speed in the congestion zone; they have suggested that speeds would have dropped from 17 km/h (10 mph) in 2003 to 11.5 km/h (7 mph) by 2006, had the scheme not been put in place.[45]
A report by TfL in early 2007 indicated that there were 2.27 traffic delays per kilometre (3.65 per mile) in the original charging zone. This compared with a figure of 2.3 per kilometre (3.7 per mile) before the introduction of the congestion charge. After the scheme was introduced they had measured an improvement in journey times of 0.7 minutes per km (1.1 per mile), or 30%. This improvement had decreased to 22% in 2006, and during 2006 congestion levels had increased so that the improvement, compared to the year before the scheme, was just 7%. TfL explained this as a result of changes to road priorities within the zone, delays caused by new pedestrian and road user safety schemes, and, most particularly, a doubling of road works in the latter half of 2006.[162] Utilities were encouraged to complete planned road works in the year preceding the congestion charge, so it would appear that the first year of measurement used for later comparisons would also have been affected by streetworks to some extent.[161][163]
TfL reported in January 2014, that despite a reduction of traffic volume within London, traffic speeds have also been getting progressively slower over the past decade, particularly in central London. TfL explains that the historic decline in traffic speeds is most likely due to interventions that have reduced the effective capacity of the road network to improve the urban environment, increase road safety and prioritise public transport, pedestrian and cycle traffic, as well as an increase in road works by utilities and general development activity since 2006. This explains the lower levels of congestion reduction compared to the pre-charge baseline: 8% in 2006, compared to 30% in 2004. Since 2006 this trend towards slower traffic movement has ceased and traffic speeds have remained more stable, as evidenced by GPS satellite tracking data from 2006 to 2012. Indicators of excess delay or congestion also suggest a stable overall picture, with some improvements in the past two years. TfL concludes that while levels of congestion in central London are close to pre-charging levels, the effectiveness of the congestion charge in reducing traffic volumes means that conditions would be worse without the Congestion Charging scheme.[15]
Air quality
[edit]The pre-commencement report from TfL noted that the scheme was not expected to significantly affect air quality, but that offering a discount to encourage the use of greener fuels would be a positive measure.[66]
TfL reported that levels of nitrogen oxides (NOX), fell by 13.4% between 2002 and 2003, and carbon dioxide, as well as the levels of airborne particulates (PM10) within and alongside the Inner Ring Road boundary of the zone.[115]
Since 2002, the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) produced by diesel exhaust has become a serious problem, with the London Air Quality Network of Imperial College reporting that the annual mean NO2 objective (of 40 μgm-3 or 21 ppb) was exceeded at all kerbside and roadside monitoring sites across central and greater London during 12 months between 2005 and 2006. Although no areas within the Congestion Charge Zone reported NO2 levels above an upper limit of 200 μgm-3 (105 ppb), some monitoring areas near the zone boundary experienced very long periods at such levels, notably the A23 near Brixton (3741 hours) and the Marylebone Road (849 hours).[164]
In 2007, the Fifth Annual Monitoring Report by TfL stated that between 2003 and 2006, NOX emissions fell by 17%, PM10 by 24% and CO2 by 3%, with some being attributed to the effects of reduced levels of traffic flowing better, with the majority being as a result of improved vehicle technology.[45][165] In total, the rate of fall in CO2 has been almost 20% as of 2007.[166]
The 2007 TfL report makes it clear that only a one-off reduction of emissions could be expected from the introduction of the charge, whilst further reductions are unlikely to be as a result of the charge. It notes that lower vehicles emissions may not necessarily feed through into improvements in air quality as vehicle emissions are only one contributor to total emissions of a particular pollutant along industrial sources and that weather conditions play a significant role, and that pollutant concentrations were being affected by changes in the make up of the vehicle fleet. It also suggests that the rate of decline in certain pollutants is decreasing.[45]
A 2011 independent study published by the Health Effects Institute (HEI), and led by a researcher from King's College London, found that there is little evidence the congestion charge scheme has improved air quality. This research used modelling and also compared actual air pollutant measurements within the congestion charge zone with those of control sites located in Outer London. The investigators concluded that "it is difficult to identify significant air quality improvements from a specific program – especially one targeted at a small area within a large city – against the backdrop of broader regional pollutant and weather changes."[167] National trends had already shown a rapid decline of some other emissions during the late 1990s, notably carbon monoxide, and levels have been relatively stable since 2002 across London.[citation needed]
A 2020 study of London found that the London congestion charge led to reductions in pollution and reductions in driving, but it increased pollution from diesel taxis and buses (which are exempt from the charge).[168]
Charging zone | Inner Ring Road | |||||
NOX | PM10 | CO2 | NOX | PM10 | CO2 | |
Overall traffic emissions change 2003 versus 2002[115] | −13.4 | −15.5 | −16.4 | −6.9 | −6.8 | −5.4 |
Overall traffic emissions change 2004 versus 2003[115] | −5.2 | −6.9 | −0.9 | −5.6 | −6.3 | −0.8 |
Changes due to improved vehicle technology 2003-2006[45] | −17.3 | −23.8 | −3.4 | −17.5 | −20.9 | −2.4 |
Source: "Impacts Monitoring – Fourth Annual Report" (PDF). Transport for London. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 April 2015. and "Impacts Monitoring – Fifth Annual Report" (PDF). Transport for London. June 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 January 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2007. 2003–2004 figures are TfL estimates. |
Public transport
[edit]On the launch date of the original zone, an extra 300 buses (out of a total of around 8,000) were introduced.[73] Bus route changes have been made to take advantage of the presumed higher traffic speeds and the greater demand for public transport; route 452 was introduced and three others (routes 31, 46 and 430) were extended. The frequency of buses on other routes through the zone extension were also increased.[169]
In 2007 TfL reported that bus patronage in the central London area (not the same as the Congestion Charge Zone) had increased from under 90,000 pre-charge to stabilise at 116,000 journeys per day by 2007. It also reported that usage of the Underground has increased by 1% above pre-charge levels, having fallen substantially in 2003–2004. They could not attribute any change in National Rail patronage to the introduction of the central zone charge.[45]
Road safety
[edit]TfL estimated that the charge has led to a small reduction in road traffic casualties against a background trend of improvement across London and across the rest of Great Britain over the period. Cars and motorcycles have seen the biggest reduction in accidents, whereas bicyclists have seen a slight increase, which may reflect their increased numbers.[45]
Of the reduction from 2,598 personal injury crashes inside the zone in the year before the scheme to 1,629 by 2005 TfL estimated that some 40 and 70 injuries may have been avoided annually due to the introduction of the charging zone, with most of the remaining reduction attributed to other changes to the road network favouring its people-moving capacity.[115]
Operations and technology
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/London-cc-mobile-l.jpg/220px-London-cc-mobile-l.jpg)
Whilst TfL is responsible for the scheme, the operation is sub-contracted to a number of outside companies. Since 2009, IBM has been responsible for the day-to-day operation of the charging system, whilst Siemens Traffic Solutions provides and operates the physical enforcement infrastructure. Transport for London announced that from 2009 IBM would operate the charge, along with the London low emission zone under contract.[170]
The scheme makes use of purpose-built automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, manufactured by PIPs Technology, to record vehicles entering and exiting the zone. Cameras can record number plates with a 90% accuracy rate through the technology.[125][171] The majority of vehicles within the zone are captured on camera. The cameras take two still pictures in colour and black and white and use infrared technology to identify the number plates. The camera network and other roadside equipment is managed largely automatically by an installation system developed by Roke Manor Research Ltd, which delivers number plates to the billing system. These identified numbers are checked against the list of payers overnight by computer. In those cases when a number plate has not been recognised then they are checked manually.[171] Those that have paid but have not been seen in the central zone are not refunded, and those that have not paid and are seen are fined. The registered keeper of such a vehicle is looked up in a database provided by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), based in Swansea.[171][172]
Income and costs
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/London_CC_01_2013_5544_highlighted.jpg/170px-London_CC_01_2013_5544_highlighted.jpg)
TfL's annual report for 2017–18 shows that revenues from the congestion charge were £229.8m over the financial year, representing 4.3% of TfL's annual revenues. A quarter of this was spent on the cost of running the toll system, at £57.7 million. Once other charges were deducted, the congestion charge brought in an annual operating net income of £155.9m for TfL.[173] This income compares with TfL's total revenue that year from bus and tube fares of £4.319 billion.[173]
The initial operating revenues from the congestion charge did not reach the levels that were originally expected. Within six months of the start of the scheme, the reduction in traffic had been such that TfL were predicting a £65 million revenue shortfall.[174]
By law, all surpluses raised must be reinvested into London's transport infrastructure; at the start of the scheme it was anticipated that this would be around £200 million.[175][176] According to a report issued in February 2007, the initial costs of setting up the scheme were £161.7 million,[176] with an annual operating cost of about £115m anticipated.[177] Total revenues over the first three-and-a-half years had been £677.4 million, with TfL reporting a surplus over operating costs of £189.7 million.[176] The Bow Group, using TfL data, estimated that by 2007 the project had only returned a modest £10 million profit.[79]
Although Parliament has limited the amount that authorities can borrow, for some time it had been speculated that the regular income obtained from the congestion charge and other revenues could be used to securitise a bond issue that finances other transport projects across London.[178] TfL issued their first bond for £200 million in 2005, to be repaid at 5% interest over 30 years. TfL plans to borrow £3.1 billion more to fund a five-year transport programme across London, including works on London Underground and road safety schemes.[179]
Revenues (£m) provisional | 2004/5[44] | 2005/6[115] | 2006/7[45] | 2007/8[180] | 2008/9[181] | 2009/10[182] | 2010/11[182] | 2011/12[183] | 2012/13[183] | 2013/14[184] | 2014/15[184] | 2015/16[185] | 2016/17[185] | 2017/2018[186] | 2018/2019[187] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Standard daily vehicle charges (currently £15) | 98 | 121 | 125 | 146 | not available | ||||||||||
Enforcement income | 72 | 65 | 55 | 73 | not available | ||||||||||
Fleet vehicle daily charges (currently £10.5) | 17 | 19 | 27 | 37 | not available | ||||||||||
Resident vehicles (currently daily £1.05) | 2 | 2 | 6 | 12 | not available | ||||||||||
Other income | 2 | not available | |||||||||||||
Total revenues | 190 | 210 | 213 | 268 | 325.7 | 312.6 | 286.5 | 226.7 | 222.0 | 234.6 | 257.4 | 258.4 | 249.6 | 229.8 | 229.9 |
Total operation and administration costs | (92) | (88) | (90) | (131) | (168.5) | (178.3) | (113) | (89.9) | (89.9) | (85.4) | (84.9) | (90.1) | (85.7) | (73.9) | (83.2) |
Net revenues | 97 | 122 | 123 | 137 | 148.5 | 158.1 | 173.5 | 136.8 | 132.1 | 149.2 | 172.5 | 168.3 | 163.9 | 155.9 | 146.7 |
![]() | This article needs to be updated.(May 2016) |
Expenditure (% of operating revenue) | 2004–5[44] | 2006–7[45] |
---|---|---|
Bus network improvements (incl. vehicles, garages & shelters) | 80% | 82% |
Road and bridge maintenance & upgrades | 11% | |
Road safety (incl. research & campaigns) | 11% | 4% |
Walking & cycling programmes & publicity | 6% | 2.5% |
Distribution and freight (incl. review of a London lorry ban) | 1% | |
"Safer routes to schools" initiative | 2% |
From the scheme's introduction in 2003 until December 2013, gross revenue reached about £2.6 billion,[188] of which, over £1.2 billion (46%) has been invested in transport, including £960 million on improvements to the bus network; £102 million on roads and bridges; £70 million on road safety; £51 million on local transport/borough plans; and £36 million on sustainable transport and the environment.[189]
See also
[edit]- Electronic toll collection
- Road pricing in the United Kingdom
- Transport in London
- Westminster motorcycle parking charge
References
[edit]- ^ "Traffic in the City 2018" (PDF). Department of the Built Environment. February 2018.
- ^ "CCZ abbreviation stands for Congestion Charge Zone". All Acronyms. Caleb Cox. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
- ^ "Congestion Charge (Official)". Transport for London. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f "Coronavirus: London congestion charge brought back with price rise". BBC News. 15 May 2020.
- ^ Simon Jeffery & Sarah Phillips (7 August 2006). "Q&A: The congestion charge". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ "Maps & Times". Transport for London. Archived from the original on 23 January 2008. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
- ^ a b "London to introduce new Ulta Low Emission Discount for Congestion Charge scheme; countering dieselization". Green Car Congress. 24 April 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ a b Lilly, Chris (24 June 2016). "Congestion charge sunset period ends today". Next Green Car. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
- ^ "Complying with ULEZ - Transport for London". Archived from the original on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
- ^ a b "London Mayor confirms Ultra-Low Emission Zone will start in 2019". www.fleetnews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
- ^ a b Mason, Rowena (17 February 2017). "London to introduce £10 vehicle pollution charge, says Sadiq Khan". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
- ^ a b Saarinen, Martin (17 February 2017). "London introduces new £10 'T-charge' to cut vehicle pollution". Auto Express. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
- ^ a b c "Mayoral Decision 2397: Amendments to the Congestion Charge and Low Emission Zone". Greater London Authority (GLA). 17 December 2018.
- ^ a b c d Givoni, M. (2011). Re-assessing the Results of the London Congestion Charging Scheme. Urban Studies, 49(5), 1089–1105. doi:10.1177/0042098011417017
- ^ a b c Transport for London (TfL) (January 2014). "Public and stakeholder consultation on a Variation Order to modify the Congestion Charging scheme Impact Assessment" (PDF). TfL. Retrieved 15 February 2015. See pp. 12: Traffic volume, speed and congestion.
- ^ a b "Congestion Charging: in London – What it is". BBC News. 2003. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ "Signs and Symbols". Transport for London. Archived from the original on 16 December 2007. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
- ^ "Congestion Charge Western Extension Consultation" (PDF). Transport for London. 1 September 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015.See page 6: Map of the Congestion Charging zone
- ^ a b Gwyn Topham (6 January 2014). "London congestion charge expected to rise by at least 15%". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
- ^ Evans, Reg (September 2008). "Demand Elasticities for Car Trips to Central London as revealed by the Central London Congestion Charge" (PDF). Transport for London. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ^ "London congestion charge to rise". The Guardian. Press Association. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ^ a b "Paying the Congestion Charge". Transport for London. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ "Penalties and Enforcement". Transport for London. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ "Amendments, refunds and reimbursements". Transport for London. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ a b "Residents' discount". Congestion Charging. Transport for London. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2015. Click on "Residents' discount" for details.
- ^ Transport for London (February 2015). "Discounts and exemptions – Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED)". Transport for London. Retrieved 15 February 2015. Click on "Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED)" for details.
- ^ Go Ultra Low (February 2016). "Vehicle technologies – Plug-in hybrids". Go Ultra Low. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
- ^ "Congestion charge greener vehicles rule change planned". BBC News. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- ^ "London tightens up congestion charge in attempt to drive out diesel". The Guardian. 24 April 2013. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- ^ Faye Sunderland (1 July 2013). "London tightens Congestion Charge exemptions". The Green Car Website (UK). Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ "New green discount for the congestion charge comes in". BBC News. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
- ^ Chapman, Ben (23 October 2017). "T-charge: What is the new London emissions charge and how will it affect you?". The Independent. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
- ^ Kimiko de Reytas-Tamura (17 February 2017). "A Push for Diesel Leaves London Gasping Amid Record Pollution". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
- ^ "T-charge cuts number of dirty diesels driven into central London by 1,000". 22 December 2017.
- ^ "Pay to drive in London". Transport for London. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ "London's new pollution charge begins". 8 April 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
- ^ "Central London Ultra Low Emission Zone - Four month report" (PDF).
- ^ "London pollution: High levels detected by 40% of capital's air quality". Evening Standard. 23 July 2019.
- ^ Edwards, Tom (5 April 2019). "ULEZ: The politics of pollution". BBC News.
- ^ "ULEZ to expand across all of Greater London, Mayor Sadiq Khan announces". 8 March 2022.
- ^ "Will I have to pay the Charge if I am diverted into the Zone?". Congestion Charge. Transport for London. Archived from the original on 5 June 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- ^ AFX News Limited (7 July 2005). "London Bombs Roundup Four terrorist blasts kill at least 37 people Update". Forbes. Archived from the original on 3 May 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ "Heavy snow hits much of Britain". BBC News. 2 February 2009. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2009.
- ^ a b c "Impacts Monitoring – Third Annual Report" (PDF). Transport for London. April 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Impacts Monitoring – Fifth Annual Report" (PDF). Transport for London. June 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 January 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
- ^ "Impacts monitoring—Sixth Annual Report, July 2008" (PDF). Central London Congestion Charging. Transport for London. July 2008. pp. 215–19. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2008.
- ^ "Car cloners try avoiding charges". BBC News. 24 June 2004. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
- ^ Arthur, Charles (26 February 2003). "London congestion charge leads to flood of false number plates". The Independent. UK. Archived from the original on 10 December 2007. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
- ^ "Embassy to pay congestion charge". BBC News. 6 April 2006. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2006.
- ^ Sullivan, Conor (10 December 2015). "London embassies run up £95m congestion charge bill". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022.
- ^ Mulholland, Helene (19 November 2008). "Foreign diplomats owe £23m over London congestion charge". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015.
- ^ "Embassy road toll row continues". BBC News. 14 May 2006. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2006.
- ^ "Diplomats owe more than £143m in London congestion charges". BBC News. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ Tempest, Matthew (7 August 2006). "Q&A: National road charging scheme". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ Smeed, R.J. (1964). Road pricing: the economic and technical possibilities. HMSO.
- ^ "Experts' plan to cut traffic pressure". The Times. 11 June 1964.
- ^ Bannister, David (2002). Transport Planning:In the UK, USA and Europe. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-13450-663-7.
- ^ "Epilogue". Ringways – Background. cbrd.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
Within London, a few fragments had been built: the Ringway 1 East Cross Route was complete by the early 1970s, and the A40(M) Westway and a short stub of the West Cross Route were open to traffic before the GLDP inquiry halted the plans
- ^ R Porter, Hamish Hamilton (1994). London: A Social History. p. 448pp. ISBN 978-0-241-12944-9.
- ^ "CV: Ken 'Red Ken' Livingstone". BBC. 17 November 1999. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015.
- ^ Urban Road Pricing: Public and Political Acceptability. Ashgate Publishing. 2003. p. 248. ISBN 978-0-7546-3449-2.
- ^ Her Majesty's Stationery Office (1995). The London Congestion Research Programme. HMSO. ISBN 978-0-11-551755-6.
- ^ Her Majesty's Stationery Office (1997). "Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997 Chapter 54". HMSO. Archived from the original on 8 June 2009.
- ^ "What does the mayor get to do?". BBC News. 16 May 2000. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ "Blair accuses Livingstone of £5 car toll". The Guardian. London. 7 August 2006. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Report to the Mayor of London" (PDF). The Greater London (Central Zone): Congestion Charging Order 2001. Transport for London. February 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 February 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2008.
- ^ "Congestion charges face legal challenge". BBC News. 15 July 2002. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ Hardie, Alison (1 August 2002). "Livingstone wins road toll battle". The Scotsman. Edinburgh: Johnston Press plc. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
- ^ "Annual Report 2002-3" (PDF). London Ambulance Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 February 2008. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
- ^ Beard, Matthew (17 February 2003). "Livingstone predicts 'difficult few days' as congestion charge begins". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 13 July 2010. Retrieved 9 April 2006.
- ^ "Congestion charge cuts traffic levels". BBC News. 18 February 2003. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ "Smooth start for congestion charge". BBC News. 18 February 2003. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ a b "First congestion fines to go out". BBC News. 18 February 2003. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ a b c "10,000 chased for congestion fine". BBC News. 18 February 2003. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ Rogers, James (21 February 2003). "Capita admits congestion charge 'teething problems'". Computer Weekly. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015.
- ^ Clark, Andrew (13 December 2005). "Capita congestion charge contract to be extended". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2007.
- ^ "London traffic gets a helping hand from Mastek". The Financial Express. Pune. 29 October 2004. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ Lettice, John (21 February 2003). "The London charge zone, the DP Act, and MS .NET". The Register. Retrieved 8 April 2006.
- ^ a b c Mahon, Christopher; Sloan, Alastair. "London Under Livingstone: An evaluation of Labour's Mayor" (PDF). The Bow Group. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 January 2012.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ "Congestion charge survives school run". BBC News. 23 February 2003. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ "Congestion charge cuts jams". BBC News. 6 June 2003. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
- ^ a b c "Traders rally against charge zone". BBC News. 21 May 2007. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ Muspratt, Caroline (21 April 2004). "Congestion charge cost £300m, say Oxford St traders". The Daily Telegraph. UK. Archived from the original on 14 June 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ Allison, Rebecca (5 September 2003). "Store chief hits at congestion charge". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2008.
- ^ Blitz, Roger (5 July 2005). "Damaging rise in congestion charge not justified, says West End store". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 25 December 2007.
- ^ "Jury out on congestion charging". BBC News. 16 February 2004. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2007.
- ^ a b Clark, Andrew (25 November 2003). "C-charge 'leads to layoffs'". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
- ^ "'No increase' in congestion charge". BBC News. 25 February 2003. Retrieved 8 April 2006.
- ^ "Public Interest, Private Profit: Transport for London's Contract with Capita for the Congestion Charging Scheme". London Assembly Budget Committee. October 2003. Archived from the original (RTF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
We dispute the Mayor's frequently made claim that TfL's contract with Capita represents 'best value' for Londoners. It has not proved to be a good deal for taxpayers
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ "Capita making no profits from London congestion charge scheme – report". Interactive Investor. Interactive Investor Trading Limited. 31 July 2003. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ a b Congestion charging six months on (PDF). Transport for London. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 May 2006. Retrieved 8 April 2006.
- ^ Muspratt, Caroline (16 February 2004). "Charge fails to stop roar of London traffic". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 14 June 2008. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
- ^ Mayman, Michelle (9 March 2007). "Traffic solutions". The Politics Show. BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2007.
- ^ "The 2003 Scientific American 50 List of Winners – Policy". Scientific American. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015.
- ^ Warren, Marcus (10 November 2003). "Livingstone becomes 'leading thinker'". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
- ^ "Londoners views sought on c-charge western extension" (Press release). Transport for London. 16 February 2004. Archived from the original on 16 August 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
- ^ "Protest over congestion charging". BBC News. 5 June 2004. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
- ^ Norris, Steve (12 February 2003). "Why Ken's charge will do damage for years to come". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
- ^ "Hughes will stop road toll at 5 pm". BBC News. 8 March 2004. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ "Congestion Charge Zone to expand". BBC News. 30 September 2005. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ Barney, Katharine (7 December 2005). "C-charge consultation is charade, admits Ken". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 26 May 2007.[dead link]
- ^ "Go-slow protest over road charge". BBC News. 27 April 2005. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2007.
- ^ Rohrer, Finlo (17 February 2007). "Leafy Kensington shows its anger". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
- ^ "Public Consultation on detail of proposed extension to congestion charging zone begins" (Press release). Transport for London. 9 May 2005. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2007.
- ^ "Charge zone times could shorten". BBC News. 9 May 2005. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2005.
- ^ "Road toll 'fails to cut traffic'". BBC News. 27 October 2004. Retrieved 8 April 2006.
- ^ "Road toll up by 'at least £1'". BBC News. 1 November 2004. Retrieved 8 April 2006.
- ^ Blitz, Roger (1 December 2004). "Congestion charge rise to £8 planned by London mayor". Financial Times. The Financial Times Ltd. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2006.
- ^ "Congestion charge may rise to £8". BBC News. 30 November 2004. Retrieved 8 April 2006.
- ^ "Congestion charge increases to £8". BBC News. 1 April 2005. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2006.
- ^ "Congestion charge to increase to £8; fleet and regular users to receive discounts" (Press release). Greater London Authority. 1 April 2005. Archived from the original on 18 June 2008. Retrieved 25 November 2005.
- ^ "Anger at '£10 congestion charge'". BBC News. 11 May 2006. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ Allen, Richard (27 May 2003). "Congestion charge hammers shops". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ Clark, Andrew (13 August 2003). "Business backs congestion charge". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f "Impacts Monitoring – Fourth Annual Report" (PDF). Transport for London. June 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
- ^ Williams, David (9 May 2005). "TfL changes rules to stop C-charge 'fleet' scheme". London Evening Standard. Associated Newspapers Limited. Archived from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
- ^ Transport for London with GLA Economics (April 2005). "Congestion Charging: Proposed Western Extension Public Consultation Economic and Business Impact Assessment" (PDF). Transport for London. pp. 9, 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 June 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ "Capita fined £4.5 million for missing C-Charge targets". Liberal Democrats. 8 March 2005. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015.
- ^ "Congestion Charging Western Extension". Greater London Authority. Archived from the original on 10 April 2006. Retrieved 8 April 2006.
- ^ Webster, Ben (1 October 2005). "Livingstone takes charge zone farther west despite opposition". The Times. UK: News International Limited. Retrieved 9 April 2006.
- ^ Woodman, Peter (19 February 2007). "Capital's congestion charge area extended". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 30 April 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ "The Western Extension". BBC London. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
- ^ "Congestion Charge Zone increases". BBC News. 19 February 2007. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
- ^ Clakr, Andrew (15 March 2005). "TfL axes C-charge debt collection agency". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
- ^ a b "C-charge plans 'will waste £166m'". BBC News. 11 February 2003. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
- ^ Webster, Ben (22 February 2006). "Electronic tags for cars as congestion charge spreads out". The Times. London. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
- ^ Clement, Barrie (20 February 2007). "Congestion charge: Green lobby hails road-toll extension". The Independent. London: Independent News and Media Ltd. Archived from the original on 6 December 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ Clement, Barrie (20 February 2007). "Comments on CEBR's report on the western extension of the congestion charge" (PDF). GLA Economists. London. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- ^ Simon Jeffery and Sarah Phillips (7 August 2006). "Q&A: The congestion charge". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ a b c "Consultation results". Transport for London. Archived from the original on 7 February 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ^ "Congestion Charge Through Roads". BBC London. 22 February 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ "Minicab Scam To Avoid Congestion Charge". BSkyB. 5 November 2007. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2007.
- ^ "77% reject A12 Blackwall Tunnel toll, says City Hall survey". East London Advertiser. Archant Regional Limited. 5 November 2007. Archived from the original on 14 June 2008. Retrieved 24 November 2007.
- ^ Livingstone, Ken (8 January 2008). "Letters". The Londoner. Greater London Authority. Archived from the original on 11 February 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2008.
- ^ Transport for London. "CO2 charging". Archived from the original on 3 April 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
- ^ "CO2 Charge and CO2 Discount: February 2008". Mayor of London. Archived from the original on 17 October 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2008.
- ^ "Polluting cars C-charge discussed". BBC News. 10 August 2007. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2007.
- ^ a b "Warning over pollution c-charge". BBC News. 18 October 2007. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2007.
- ^ a b c "Consultation begins today on Emissions Related Congestion Charging". Transport for London. Archived from the original on 16 August 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
- ^ "Congestion Charging: CO2 Charge and CO2 Discount: February 2008". Mayor of London. Archived from the original on 28 February 2008. Retrieved 22 February 2008.
- ^ "New C-Charge zone 'will raise traffic and pollution'". London Evening Standard. 18 October 2007. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
- ^ "Porsche challenges C-charge rise". BBC News. 19 February 2008. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
- ^ "Porsche Judicial Review". Porsche. Archived from the original on 3 January 2010.
- ^ "'Gas guzzlers' C-charge up to £25". BBC News. 12 February 2008. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
- ^ "C-charge hike 'will increase CO2'". BBC News. 9 April 2008. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
- ^ Gribben, Roland (10 April 2008). "Row over Congestion Charge pollution claims". The Daily Telegraph. UK. Archived from the original on 1 May 2008. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
- ^ Crerar, Pippa (16 November 2007). "Boris backs small shops campaign". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
- ^ Rachel Sylvester and Alice Thomson (18 November 2007). "Brian Paddick: 'Why I want to be mayor'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 23 November 2007. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
- ^ Carlin, Brendan (14 November 2007). "Brian Paddick is Lib Dem London candidate". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 16 January 2008. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
- ^ a b c "Mayor quashes £25 C-charge hike". BBC News. 8 July 2008. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
- ^ James, Kirkup (8 July 2008). "Boris Johnson scraps congestion charge for 4x4 vehicles". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 2 February 2011.
- ^ Dan Milmo (1 July 2008). "Transport: London Mayor unveils congestion charge rethink". The Guardian. UK. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
- ^ "C-charge extension to be scrapped". BBC News. 27 November 2008. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2009.
- ^ Hélène, Mulholland (2 April 2012). "Boris Johnson plans to give police access to congestion charge cameras". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015.
- ^ "Ken Livingstone promises to freeze congestion charge for four years". Mayorwatch. 29 March 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- ^ John, Bennett (4 May 2012). "Declared Results". London Elects. Greater London Returning Officer. Archived from the original on 3 May 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
- ^ "TfL suspends congestion charge, ULEZ and LEZ amid coronavirus outbreak". The Independent. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
- ^ Gwyn Topham (24 October 2020), "Why the row over congestion charge expansion could tear London apart", The Guardian, retrieved 16 August 2021
- ^ Oliver Gill (14 August 2021), "Sadiq Khan pushes on with congestion charge expansion plan", The Telegraph, archived from the original on 12 January 2022, retrieved 16 August 2021
- ^ Oliver Gill (22 June 2020), London congestion charge rises to £15 a day and extends to 7 days a week
- ^ a b "Road toll 'cut traffic by 70,000'". BBC News. 11 July 2007. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2007.
- ^ "Congestion charge 'not working'". BBC News. 23 February 2007. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
- ^ Marston, Paul (16 February 2004). "London congestion charge 'not working'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2007.
- ^ Fuller & Green (28 July 2006). "Air Quality in London 2005 and mid 2006 – Briefing" (PDF). London Air Quality Network. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
- ^ Sadler, Lucy. "Detailed assessment London congestion charging". UK Air Quality Archive. Archived from the original (DOC) on 28 February 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2008.
- ^ "Milan introduces traffic charge". BBC News. 2 January 2008. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2008.
- ^ "HEI study finds London Congestion Charging Scheme shows little evidence of improving air quality". Green Car Congress. 27 April 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
- ^ Green, Colin P.; Heywood, John S.; Navarro Paniagua, Maria (1 September 2020). "Did the London congestion charge reduce pollution?" (PDF). Regional Science and Urban Economics. 84: 103573. doi:10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2020.103573. ISSN 0166-0462. S2CID 169274952.
- ^ "Buses increased after congestion extension". BBC London. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ "Capita to lose congestion charge". BBC News. 25 October 2007. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2007.
- ^ a b c Symonds, Tom (11 February 2003). "Preparing for Congestion". BBC News. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
- ^ "How it Works". BBC News. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
- ^ a b Transport for London (July 2018). "Annual Report and Statement of Accounts 2017/18" (PDF). Mayor of London. p. 208. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ^ "Congestion charge leads to budget shortfall". BBC News. 12 June 2003. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
- ^ "Drivers face £5 London toll". BBC News. 7 October 2001. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ a b c "Where has the money gone?". BBC London. 19 February 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ "Congestion charging". Confederation of British Industry. Archived from the original on 19 August 2006. Retrieved 20 August 2006.
- ^ Glaister, Stephen (10 April 2000). "Rocky road to a smoother journey". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 25 December 2007.
- ^ "Newsletter Issue 8" (PDF). Transport for London. Spring 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 February 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2007.
- ^ TFL. "Congestion Charging in Central London, Impacts Monitoring Sixth Annual Report" (PDF). Transport for London. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
- ^ "Annual Report and Statement of Accounts 2008/2009" (PDF). Transport for London. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- ^ a b TFL. "Annual Report 2010/11" (PDF). Transport for London. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
- ^ a b "Annual Report and Statement of Accounts" (PDF). Transport for London. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ^ a b Transport for London (April 2015). "Annual Report and Statement of Accounts 2014/15" (PDF). Mayor of London. p. 143. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
- ^ a b TFL. "tfl-annual-report-and-statement-of-accounts-2016-17" (PDF). Transport for London. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
- ^ "TfL Annual Report and Statement of Accounts 2017-18" (PDF). Transport for London. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ "TfL Annual Report and Statement of Accounts 2018-19" (PDF). Transport for London. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ Ross Lydall (15 February 2013). "Congestion Charge 'has cost drivers £2.6bn in decade but failed to cut traffic jams'". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ^ "Views sought on proposed changes to Congestion Charging scheme". Transport for London. 6 January 2014. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
Further reading
[edit]- Richards, Martin G. (2006). Congestion Charging in London: The Policy and the Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, Hampshire. ISBN 978-1-4039-3240-2.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Congestion Charge at Transport for London
- Congestion Charge payment at Transport for London
- London Congestion Charge rises to £15 a day and extends to 7 days a week news.sky.com
- Electronic toll collection
- Fare collection systems in London
- Motoring taxation in the United Kingdom
- Road congestion charge schemes in the United Kingdom
- Road transport in London
- Town and country planning in London
- Transport policy in the United Kingdom
- Transport infrastructure in London
- 2003 in London
- 2003 introductions
- Transport for London