Boris cans congestion extension
Western zone is no more
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London Mayor Boris Johnson will scrap the western extension to the congestion charge zone.
Two thirds of people and businesses which responded to a survey wanted the extension dropped. The Mayor's office received 28,000 responses and 86 per cent of businesses and 67 per cent of individuals were against it. Only 19 per cent wanted the zone kept.
But don't get too excited - the earliest possible date for actual removal of the zone is spring 2010. First there will be a 12-week "public and stakeholder consultation" starting next summer, then Transport for London will consult its stakeholders. Then the Mayor has to confirm his decision based on those consultations.
A separate survey of 2,000 Londoners and 1,000 of the capital's businesses, also carried out by Transport for London, found 41 per cent of people wanted the extension scrapped versus 30 per cent who wanted it kept. Only 15 per cent of businesses wanted it kept and half wanted it dumped.
The congestion charge zone was extended in February 2007 and aimed to reduce traffic by between 10 and 14 per cent, as well as add £30 to £50m to the mayor's coffers. It covers the area from the Westway, Earl's Court Road, the Embankment and Park Lane. ®
COMMENTS
@ Chris Matchett
@ Chris Matchett
“There will be less buses.”
Will there be fewer buses compared to before the introduction of the CC?
Also, would that mean that car drivers were indeed subsidising buses?
“Road improvement schemes will be cancelled.”
What on earth! How did we afford them before the CC?
“Taxes will go up”
Assuming it does, it tends towards making the rest of your input redundant – so make up your mind.
Don’t ignore the fact that traffic lights were randomised around London sometime before the introduction of the CC, then corrected again within the newly introduced CC zone.
“For those posting that Boris knows what he is doing.”
Perhaps he doesn’t, but he is acting upon what he is hearing – which is exactly what we want from a public servant.
“So all you people who voted to remove the zone: get ready for a great big fat "I told you so" in 2012.”
Would those be the same people who didn’t want their money wasted (in their opinion) on 2012?
I doubt you are a car driver: “the rest of us to help pay for *your* journey”…” to pay for *your* road schemes”; although you might be an owner:
“I live in West Lonodn … Right in the corner of the Western Extension too.”. Couple this with: “People living in the West Central will lose their 90% residents discount for the Central zone. “, either way it would explain why you’re so bitter about people being taxed less.
Last but far from least: “Journeys will take longer.”
I don’t know about you, but I prefer to wait an additional 30 minutes (and that’s being really generously pessimistic) for the extra £8 cash in hand each day. That must work out to be about £24 per hour before taxes.
Twice again, well done Boris. Democracy in action - long may it continue!
@ AC (28th Nov 09:23)
I’m showing how student friendly conservative policy is compared to the other party who had prior power, hence demonstrating how students who voted for Boris weren’t “turnips”, so invalidating your example of the *possible* student hardship resulting from the scrapping of the CC.
To your prior post: “…to make up for the shortfall.”
What shortfall? See my earlier post 27th Nov 16:33.
@ Chris Matchett
Really? The DVLA costs £30 billion a year to run does it? Methinks not.
PROVE that motorists cost the country more than they contribute to HMG, or, as already stated, STFU.
Once again, well done Boris. Democracy in action - long may it continue!

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