First Published: Sunday 13 April 2008, 23:22
The One London Party, which currently has 2 members on the London Assembly and is seeking re-election in next month's elections, has attacked a recent manifesto promise by Ken Livingstone to slash the speed limit on most London roads to 20 mph.
Earlier this month Mr Livingstone "there are few more important issues for our local neighbourhoods than having safer streets, which is why I want to see 20mph become the standard speed limit on all of London's residential streets. If I am re-elected I will work with London 's boroughs to achieve this."
One London leader Damian Hockney accused the Mayor of liking "to pose as anti-congestion because of the congestion charge, but he has actually increased congestion outside the zone."
Hockney said Mr Livingstone "has rephased traffic lights to make motorists wait longer, whether there are pedestrians crossing or not. He has withheld funding from councils who wanted to free up traffic by removing speed humps. The c-charge itself has created congested 'rat runs' in the roads outside the zone. Now he wants to slow down traffic even further by cutting the speed limit by a third."
Seeking to appeal to the motorist lobby Mr Hockney said "now that the Conservatives have abandoned their traditional defence of the motorist and have joined the green bandwagon, London's drivers have only one mainstream party prepared to defend their interests – the One London Party."
"We are the only party that completely opposes the principle of road pricing and congestion charging, as well as a 20 mph limit. These things damage business, hit the worst-off hardest, and do nothing to ease London's traffic problems."
2. at 15:19 on Monday 21st April 2008, Damian Hockney AM wrote:
Agree in essence with your last two sentences Gary for someone like me or you, but...I too am a resident in the central zone, and not everyone is as fit or able to use other available options you mention. How does my cousin and his girlfriend take the kids and a load of shopping and pushchair down to Norfolk to see their gran at the weekend? Nearest station 20 miles on arrival. The scenario you mention fits the young, single, fit, urban-centred. And the time I visited my aunt in Norfolk by train it cost me the same as the cheap flight to New York, never mind the taxi from the station. How do we encourage more people to live in central London near to their work if they feel that yet more costs and taxes are going to be loaded onto them? And that their options are limited to the use of very expensive transport which is sometimes simply a non-starter for their journey? If we say that no-one in central London should have a car, then all we do is ensure that the buses and tubes and trains will be even more crowded, and that some journeys will not be made (ie my cousin's). I am in the happy position of walking almost everywhere again because of my life choices right now. I love it. Talk about the reduction in stress. But most of the people I know can't do that. And when it's more convenient, I want to use the car. This afternoon, I have to collect several boxes of stuff from City Hall, take it over to my campaign office in the West End, visit one of my team then go diagonally across West London to see my cousin just outside London off the M4, back into London at 11pm-midnite. I will use the car. A cab would cost me £400+, the whole lot is just impossible by tube and train. For me, transport policy is all about support for all methods based upon need and demand. Not auto-demonisation of particular types backed up by penal taxation and daft ideas like 20mph limits which themselves cause more pollution and congestion.
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1. at 20:26 on Sunday 20th April 2008, Gary Hayes wrote:
Get a grip - London never mind the world is suffering because of car congestion! I would be interested in seeing who you represent - car companies may be one? As a resident in zone 1, I see no reason why people need cars in London when public trasnport, car share, private cabs, electric bikes... the list is long, are now affordable for most residents. I got rid of that addiction ten years ago and although afraid to ride a bike anymore because of careless drivers, use shanks pony and when not breathing emissions, feel all the better for it. Live a little make new friends on the Bakerloo line (one perky driver announced), and relegate your gas guzzler to the weekend!