Liberal Democrats at City Hall say London’s Congestion Charge should increase each year in line with the annual fares increase for bus, Tube and rail users.
In response to Transport for London’s consultation on changes to the Charge, Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the London Assembly Liberal Democrat Group, warns the current £10 per day rate “is far too low when you consider the adverse impacts that driving has on other Londoners.”
Ms Pidgeon notes that “while fares have gone up at a faster rate than inflation the congestion charge has remained constant” and says this “means that over time driving is slowly becoming a more economic option.”
In her response Pidgeon has urged TfL and Mayor Boris Johnson “to consider increasing the Congestion Charge, and then to increase it at the same level as fare rises each year.”
Pidgeon and colleague Stephen Knight AM have expressed “broad support” for TfL’s proposed changes to the Congestion Charge, including removing the Greener Vehicle Discount which they say fails to improve air quality and reduce carton dioxide emissions.
TfL has proposed scrapping the GVD in favour of a new Ultra Low Emission exemption which would apply only to vehicles which emit 75g/km of CO2 or less and meet the Euro 5 standard* for air quality.
Despite backing a number of the suggested changes, Pidgeon and Knight have expressed concern at plans to scrap cash payments and calls on TfL to ensure it considers the needs of the estimated 20 per cent of Londoners who don’t have access to a bank account.
Damian Hockney says
The charge has doubled in less than 10 years. No private business in that same period could put its charges up so much, many have dropped them. On the basis of this argument, have average fares therefore MORE than doubled in that period? From my own records, use and memory, one-day travelcard appears to have gone up about 50% since 2003, a weekly one less.