City Hall has denied media reports that Boris Johnson is set to announce he’s scrapping plans to axe the western extension of the congestion charge.
Rumours of such a move have been circulating in recent days, culminating in a report in today’s Evening Standard quoting Mayoral Transport Advisor Kulveer Ranger as saying “We always wanted to remove it at the earliest possible opportunity but it was aspirational and these are difficult times.”
Responding to enquiries a City Hall press officer denied the Standard’s story and denied Ranger had made the statements quoted in the Standard. The Evening Standard say they are sticking by their story.
City Hall have issued the following statement in Ranger’s name: “Boris Johnson has promised to abolish the Western Extension of the Congestion Charge and he will do so next year. Giving Londoners a say on this was a central part of his manifesto, and removing the extension is in accordance with their wishes as expressed in a detailed consultation last spring.
“The details for the date of the removal are being finalised, but there is absolutely no suggestion of this policy being dropped.”
Peter Mowland says
September 23, 2009 at 4:26 pmI voted for Boris Johnson…..because he PROMISED to to scrap the con charge that has not …..absolutely NOT resulted in less traffic in my area of South Ken.
I will not support him again!!
Damian Hockney says
September 23, 2009 at 5:17 pmA major faux pas of the Mayor’s Transport Advisor, stating that a policy promise was “aspirational”: even if the Mayor continues with his plan to scrap the WEZ and is simply caught in a procedural delay, the statement itself leaves a bad taste. The idea that government at any level should continue with a policy which it believes damages business in times of recession or low margins, simply in order to raise revenue, is seriously flawed. The Mayor made a great deal of the iniquities of the WEZ in particular, and gave hope to businesses and others who felt the extension was damaging to the area’s interests. However, genuine delays do occur – which may be due more to the Mayor’s attention to detail and administrative abilities than backtracking on a policy – and we need to wait and see. But the Standard is to be congratulated on this one, in spite of the denials…
Leo says
September 24, 2009 at 2:13 pmI think that ( Mr Transparency ) Boris Johnson should go Public and give his ” Voter’s ” a full and detailed explaination as to what is going on and give them ( Clear Evidence )as to what will happen and when , but most importantly why this situation has come about .
TawkinSenz says
September 24, 2009 at 4:12 pmAfter seeing the news last night and hearing what Kulveer Ranger said I think this is not going to happen – well certainly not under this administration.
Unfortunately the electorate is learning why ‘bandwagon politics’ is not productive. The policy was jumped upon by the Boris election team as it was clear it had some popularity and wasn’t something Ken was likely to champion. The bendy bus was another example where the popularity of such a move and the ulikely take up by Ken made it a tactical policy promise.
The removal of it was madness anyway, even if you disagree with it vehmently surely it’s the cheaper route of modification you want and not total removal.
Most of the complaints come from residents, so if they are furnished with exemptions then this should appease them. Compensating businesses can be achieved, with perhaps exceptions on the charge times to allow deliveries etc.
The cost of re-painting all the roads, removing the cameras and the total loss of revenue would have been difficult for LU even in the boom times – in a recession it’s nearly impossible.
I bet Boris wished he hadn’t wasted all that money on removing the bendy buses – perhaps then he could have afforded the removal of the zone after all!
However considering the western congestion zone is also the source for all those idiotic and uneccessary off road trucks which are no more than a fashion accessory or a armoured vehicle for the daily mail readers who actually believe the streets are that dangerous – I don’t have much sympathy.
What is disappointing is that they won’t have to pay extra (as Boris blocked that move) – but I can always live in hope…
TawkinSenz says
September 24, 2009 at 4:17 pmHowever, genuine delays do occur – which may be due more to the Mayor’s attention to detail and administrative abilities than backtracking on a policy – and we need to wait and see.
Surely not Damian – our mayor? the blunderbuss? You must be joking.
I forgot to point out the irony in the fact that a large factor in Boris winning the election was the support from the Evening standard and some of the less honourable journalists (Mr Gilligan) who made unfounded allegations of corruption against Ken and the LDA / Lee Jasper.
How fitting that under the new owner (the KGB man) it’s now the same Evening standard that has just about killed off Boris’s re-election chances (if he had dared stand) because those supporters were floating voters united on one issue – and I don’t think they’re going to vote for Boris again.
Leo says
September 25, 2009 at 9:35 amI would not be surprised if The Business Minded ( Mr Transparency ) Boris Johnson delivers West London a ” Double Whammy ” and back tracks on his manifesto pledge regarding The Third Runway at Heathrow Airport ! , he can always let the matter drag on for years . If people are silly enough to believe Boris Johnson when he claimed that Ken Livingston’s Mayoralty was corrupt and then Ken Livingston’s Office was cleared of any wrong doing after the Mayoral Election then people would believe it if Boris Johnson claims that to allow a Third Runway and cut down on polution they were going to make aircraft taking of and landing at Heathrow Airport do it on top of each other ” Piggy Back Style “. People need “Strong Tangible Evidence” regarding anything Boris Johnson and his adviser’s say otherwise like all his manifesto pledges you are not going to get what you thought you heard.
TawkinSenz says
September 25, 2009 at 3:42 pmLeo,
It’s a fundamental failure of our Democratic system. Sure we have a choice of who to vote for, but there is no recourse for lying during the election.
All politicans offer what we want prior to the election, but very few deliver once they’re in power.
I don’t see that as a constructive or progressive system.
Leo says
September 28, 2009 at 1:57 pmTawkinSenze
What is happening with the ” Congestion Charging in The Western Zone ” and other issues , I have become very concerned about everything regarding this Mayoralty from the campaigning , resignations and broken promises’. So now I wonder the following :
If Boris Johnson and his advisers’ had no Concrete/Tangible Evidence to support their claim that Ken Livingston and Lee Jasper were corrupt ( recently proved innocent ) then surely Boris Johnson and others should be Guilty of deception with the purpose of getting people to vote under ” False Pretences “. Also this would be ” Discrediting a Person or Persons’in Public Office Without Evidence “. Surely there is a case for ” Defamation or Slander. What ever the case , no Politician should be above the law and use Dirty or Filthy Tricks to gain an advantage , it’s almost like Politician’s have breed into politic’s ” A Legalised Criminality to Allow Unfounded Lie’s to Gain Advantage. ” Now I can see why Boris Johnson is shy to give interviews and controls what questions are asked : because he has much to hide ! to much in fact.
I believe that now Ken Livingston and others have been cleared as innocent after Boris Johnson and others made untrue accusations of corruption during The Mayoral Campaign and with the fact that it has recently been found that Boris Johnson used his website to gain an unfair advantage for that campaign someone should investigate to see if Boris Johnson’s Mayoralty is within The Law as Legal and Rightful .
One would assume that to be Mayor for London with enormous responsiblities and trust ,that The Mayor would have to be ” Sweaky Clean ” without a mark against their name . Also their employment and personal life should have no trace of ” Dishonesty ” what so ever. This should be used as evidence that the Mayor is not solely there for himself or for unfair or possibly illegal gain ,and they have not or would not use Lie’s to win an election by means of ” Deception “. Because this particular Mayoralty has been plaqued with so many problems and election promises broken we now need to be given assurances that Boris Johnson is fit to Mayor for London and he is of exemplary good character with proven history of honesty.
It feels like that there is something unfair and unjust about this Mayoralty and there needs to be SafeGuards in place to protect everyone and to make sure we all recieve justice and everything is legal and above board and no one has been conned, in any way , shape or form.