As the Congestion Charge approaches its thirteenth anniversary, Caroline Pidgeon has published a report setting out a number of proposals to improve its effectiveness in both tackling congestion and also the serious problem of air pollution affecting the capital.
Due partly to London’s growing population, congestion on London’s roads has crept up in recent years, following a significant fall in the early years after the introduction of the Congestion Charge.
The report recommends raising the charge from £11.50 to a higher basic charge of £14, acting as a more significant deterrent to people thinking about driving into central London. However, this would also be coupled with a smarter use of the Congestion Charge system by varying the price according to the time of entry into the zone, so while motorists entering at quiet periods of the day would pay £14, a motorist entering at the height of the rush hour would pay £20. The times of the peak hours would be reviewed every three months, similar to Singapore.
The report also recommends taking tough action on diesel vehicles to clean up London’s air, in effect bringing forward the benefits of the proposed Ultra Low Emission Zone in London.
Highlighting why these steps are urgently needed, Caroline Pidgeon said:
"Congestion is not just a huge inconvenience but also damaging to people’s health.
“It creates a huge economic bill for businesses due to delays, longer delivery times and staff arriving late for work.
“Now more than ever we need to face up to the implications of London’s growing population and that must mean using the Congestion Charge in a far smarter way.
“Tackling London’s air pollution must also mean tough action against diesel vehicles. Using the Congestion Charge to deter diesel vehicles from central London could be a game changer in tackling air pollution in London.”