Boris Johnson took a trip down to Portobello Market today to announce the very welcome news (around these parts) that the western extension of the congestion charge is to be scrapped as soon as possible.
Strictly speaking, and for reasons that no one seems to be able to explain, he’s unable to abolish it till 2010, although he’s looking into ways to do it earlier. Personally I can’t quite see why it’s not just a question of switching off the cameras. Yes, immediately, right now. Problem solved.
Now we qualify for the 90% discount. Great! But - er - it’s not really a 90% discount unless you use it a lot. The deal is that, having paid a tenner to register, you pay £4 to enter or drive about in the congestion zone and can then do so for the next 4 days. So if you only needed to drive in the zone on the one day (and typically I do), that’s only a 50% discount.
But I digress - fundamentally, this area doesn’t actually have a congestion problem. The roads are pretty quiet anyway at all times of the day (aside from when buses attempt to pass on Westbourne Park Road, but that’s an entirely different story). All the charge has done is to make it more expensive to drive along your own road, but cheaper to drive into the West End, which means that attempting to solve something that wasn’t a problem here has increased congestion in the original congestion zone.
Market traders and residents were understandably happy at his announcement, not least because 40 market stalls have disappeared and some shops are struggling since the extension came into force in February last year.
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November 27th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
The congestion charge to me is a sign of class distinction and segregation. Those living in K&C are very happy with the C.C. Keeps the riff raff out! Now, lets give them, in Shepherds Bush, a shopping Mall and they can never need to go to Knightsbridge again!
So that leaves the rich Londoners and tourists. Perfect!
Oh no! We dont have to pay to go into H&F!!! Are you joking! Why on earth would anyone need to visit anyway, and if such an unfortunate incident was required, they are jolly lucky, as you never know, something may catch their eyes and they will give them money!!
PUT THE CONGESTION CHARGE (THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT FUMES NOT CASH!)ON THE M25. IF YOU DONT LIVE IN LONODN THEN PAY TO COME IN.
AND PLEASE DO EXPLAIN HOW A SINGLE MOTHER WITHOUT WORK HAS TO PAY EXTRA FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES,JUST BECAUSE I LIVE IN LONDON (AND NO, IT WILL NOT INDIRECTLY IMPROVE MY WAY oF LIvING} WHEN I AM NOT INTERESTED IN THE GAMES, AND NOR DO I AGREE WITH THE.
AMOUNT OF MONEY USED IN BUILDING, HAS NO ONE NOTICED WE HAVE NO MONEY,
November 27th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
I think they should make a congestion charge for the whole of the world (motorcycles exempt of course) and make the western extension double. Portobello Road will never recover though what with that there new-fangled Westfield Market…
September 12th, 2009 at 11:09 am
[...] to extract £60 from me a week later has obviously proved to much. Now when was it Boris intends to abandon the western extension [...]