Drivers living within the scheme’s catchment area are entitled to register for a 90 percent discount on the daily charge which is set to increase to £10 from January 2011.
Residents in the former WEZ will see the cost of travelling into the remaining congestion charging area increase from 80p with their current discount to £10 per journey.
Transport for London say they will contact all drivers in the Western Extension area who are registered for a discount “after 22 November” to remind them that their discount entitlement will end when the extension ceases to operate.
TfL will also issue any refunds due to those drivers who have paid for discounted access beyond the extension’s closure.
Drivers previously entitled to a resident’s discount are also being reminded that failure to pay the full daily charge when entering the central Congestion Charge zone after January 4th may result in the issuing of a Penalty Charge Notice.
Abolition of the Western Extension, which was introduced in February 2007, was a manifesto commitment by Mayor of London Boris Johnson.
However the policy has been criticised by environmental groups concerned the move will hinder London’s ability to meet clean air standards.
London Assembly Members and transport campaigners have also questioned the decision to “give away’ at least £55m in revenues when public transport users are facing their third fare increase in as many years.
TfL have held two consultations over plans to abolish the zone, with a majority of respondents to both expressing a preference for the extension to be removed.
In October the Mayor said the extension “was unpopular when it was introduced, has remained unpopular, does not fully scheme what it set out to do, and is, and is perceived to be, a burden to businesses.”
Mark says
This is very welcome news.
It really is crazy situation that some of the richest Londoners are able to drive right into the centre of London for just 80 pence a day, when everyone elese faces an £8 charge.
In some respects the WEZ has actually diluted the early success of the Congestion Charge on its initial bondaries. Hopefully ending the WEZ and the discount for people living within it will deter some people from driving into central London.
The WEZ has also had some terrible adverse affects in terms of congestion in places like Shepherd’s Bush, as many people at present seek to skirt around the WEZ. To see what type of problems the WEZ has created for people in Shepherd Bush just take a look at the excellent Shepherd Bush blog run by Chris Underwood.
Of course air pollution needs to be tackle -indeed it is probably the biggest public health issue facing the capital – but the WEZ is not the answer for tackling air pollution across the whole of London. Instead we need to extend the bike hire scheme, do more to promote walking, electrify diesel trains that still run through parts of London and most importantly simply ensure that the most polluting diesel vehicles have to be upgraded or simply can’t come into central London – a policy similar to what exists in Berlin and long advcoated by the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Mike Tuffrey. For details see:
http://www.glalibdems.org.uk/resources/sites/217.160.173.25-3e54d44dcb2780.65885247/Factsheets/Air+Quality.pdf
Clive says
Mark, what about less well off residents of the extension area? Do they also deserve such a large hike in the cost of their ocassional drive into town?
LAURA JAMIESON says
Hoorah !!!!that the western extension zone is ending. No one saw the sense of it in the first place apart from the tax gathers. I hope there are no more excuses or delays in implementing this!
A sensible approach would have been to put tolls on non residential traffic going south along the Earls Court road…. heavily polluted and on the adjcent artery road going from the river north towards Shepperds Bush, heavily poluted with heavy goods lorrys and easy to do for the local council electronicly.
Robert says
What has happened to the discount that was offered to people living outside but very close to the original central London congestion zone when it was first introduced – conveniently forgotten?