Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg visited London today for a joint press conference with London Mayor Ken Livingstone during which hepraised the London Congestion Charge and improvements in the capital’s bus network.
Speaking to the press Mr Bloomberg lavished praised on Mayor Livingstone, saying he “lead the way” on environmental issues.
Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City, said “as two of the World’s great financial centers, New York and London share many things, including congested central business districts. Congestion pricing is working here in London and we can make similar improvements to our economy, public health and air quality in New York.”
Ahead of the press conference the Mayors travelled through the capital by bus where Mayor Bloomberg was shown the extent to which London’s congestion charge has reduced cars entering central London.
According to official figures traffic in the original zone has fallen by 21 per cent compared with 2002, equal to 70,000 fewer cars enter each day.
Mr Livingstone said Mayor Bloomberg has now seen how London has invested in its transport system and dealt with the problem of traffic in the congested central area, and it’s clear that the congestion charge has been instrumental in the steps we have taken – reducing the numbers of cars entering central London by 70,000 a day, making the buses more reliable, paying for improvements to the bus network, which is now the cleanest, most reliable, and most accessible in the country, and helping to increase cycling.”
