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I haven't seen any detailed analysis of the effects of CC on traffic/ congestion in other areas outisde the zone. It strikes me that unless many of the journeys previously being done in central London just aren't any more, the traffic and congestion has simply been shifted to roads, car parks etc. in outer boroughs. It may well be the case that this extra congestion spread over a much larger area doesn't cause so many problems but on the other hand if this is all that's happening it's hardly a success story. Does anyone working for TFL or Red Ken actually know if the total number of journeys has actually fallen because, for example, businesses are delivering more efficiently or workers are sharing cars ? If it has, I'll be very surprised.
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I know one case doesn't prove anything, but my accountant has an office in South london, just inside the CC zone. He lives in Islington and used to drive every day. He had some arrangement with a local firm where he parked for £5 a day. Since the CC charge, he catches the bus every day, saving a net £8 or so. He reckons the journey doesn't take him that much longer.
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Nick, it was interesting to see the article you mention and that the writer owned up to being proved wrong over his prediction of doom, makes a nice change for someone to admit they were wrong.
However, he also made a point that he has generally not bothered to travel into London and stayed local for his social life and that many central London restaurants, etc., estimate their trade to be down by as much as 15%. Whether that is due to the CC or is just a fluctuation is probably a bit early to tell, but I would imagine that there are quite a few businesses that are praying it's not the effect of the CC!
Cockle
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I have heard reports that the congestion outside the zone is no worse than before.
Presumably if less people go in to the centre, and so shops and restaurants do less business, all that means is that the business is going elsewhere. That benefits the economies of satellite regions, and might drive down property prices in the centre? Not surprising some people - those with businesses in the centre - are moaning then!
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I live in Islington, just outside the northern boundary of the congestion charge area.
As a wheelchair user I am almost totally dependent on my car for getting around London as most public transport is inaccessible for me.
I am exempt from the congestion charge, and I have to say that the redused traffic levels have made getting around a lot less frustrating.
If people didn't abuse disabled parking bays so frequently then I might even be able park when I get to my destination.
I wonder if Ken can sort that out?
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Sympathise with you oddbod - it\'s a widespread problem, as is the abuse of disabled badges by perfectly healthy people who are just lazy and selfish. IIRC a certain politician (not noted for his love of walking) got in hot water some time ago for parking in a disabled bay whilst he added to his already considerable girth in a restaurant. He was approached inside by the disabled person who\'d been forced to park further away and in true form was less than apologetic for being so inconsiderate. What a fine example !
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Hi
I travel into zone daily.
traffic on the approach (A11)is, IMHO, worse.
However, travel in zone is easier, not least because some of the traffic lights are now more reasonably timed and there appear to be less roadworks.
but perhaps I'm just an old cynic.
regards
vercin
ps the roads in the zone are still in a dangerous/appalling state whether you are in a car, bus or on a bike.
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The difficulty in assessing the effects of the CC or any other iniative is that we cannot know what would have happened if it had not been applied. Take the reported 15% downturn in business reported by some retailers in the CC zone for example. The implementation of the CC came roughly at the same time as the Iraq war (much fewer tourists) and a downturn in the property market and financial services industry in London. So might retailers have felt the pinch anyway? There's no way of telling, but the CC certainly hasn't been the disaster that was predicted.
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On the other hand, perhaps the economic downturn, loss of city jobs, war in Iraq and reduction in tourists are combining to mitigate the fundamental problem and if/when things get back to normal, congestion problems will start to surface outside the zone.
Let's face it, that's what Red Ken would like to see because it would give him carte blanche to extend the zone further out.
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\"There\'s no way of telling, but the CC certainly hasn\'t been the disaster that was predicted.\"
Even CC fessed up to over stating the impact in order to achive a successful press on launch.
Yours cynically
Vercin
And the public transport is still rubbish
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Less cars means less people in cars means less business. Simple as that.
There are reports coming in that small businesses such as restaurants/bars/shops are starting to suffer badly. As posted above this could also be due to the Gulf War or the general economic downturn but it is fairly obvious that the charging is not helping.
However, whether congestion charging is a success or failure it will be hailed a success (loudly) by Ken and all his beardy wierdy friends because it is the ONLY way Ken has to raise money. Also, the politicians will be watching the next mayoral elections closely. The Conservative candidate had pledged to abolish the charge, don't know if he is still saying that but if Ken can get re-elected with the charge in place then every politician across the country will see it as a green light to soak the motorist even more. You have been warned.
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Everyone seems to forget that the CC was clearly in Ken's manifesto at the time of his election. He won the election. Plenty of people seem to snipe at various policies but rarely come up with a well thought-out alternative. Personally, I wouldn't dream of driving into central London, CC or no CC, the tube and taxis are so much better, especially if I was going to one of the bars mentioned.
Something clearly has to be done about traffic congestion, not just in London, but what do we do? Build more and more roads? Spend more on public transport? Tax road use more? Increase fuel prices?
Does anyone have a reasoned solution which would get past the electorate rather than just a denigration of someone else's ideas? If so, lets hear it instead of grumbling all the time!
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There is a solution. Its called integrated transport. And it works like this.
Public transport needs to be good, reliable and seen to be value for money. It all needs to be meshed together and controled. Take your journey to work, Reliable bus to station, train to major hub, bus/tube to work - reliable and cheap.
Take your village, needs reliable bus service, not loads of them but reliable - if they say there is a bus at x time you need to know there WILL be a bus at x time to take you to the nearest large town from where you can get to other parts.
This will not work the way things are done at present. Where you have different railway companies, private bus companies, all out to make profit, they will just provide the services that pay.
When you get the public transport sorted, then you can ban cars. Not the other way round. Business will suffer because punters cant get to them, business goes bust, income from rates and taxes fall, less money to spend on transport.
Its easy really, invest in public transport up front. It costs.
In fact the money spent on the Iraq war would have been a good start.
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I go into London quite regularly for meetings and site surveys etc and have looked into using public transport many times but find it so expensive and unreliable it just isn't feasable.
If public transport was cheaper and more reliable more people would use it.
If you look at Madrid the public transport is superb, very clean, very cheap and so everyone uses it. The metro system is constantly bieng upgraded and more and more stations are bieng added.
We need more money spent on things that matter and less on Gay meeting halls, asylum seekers and Cherie Blair's clothing allowance!
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This is all very well about public transport, but what about us shift and night workers. Try getting a bus at week-ends when you start at 6am and finish at 2pm, or 10pm and again at 6am, especially on a sunday, it\'s a joke. Its a fact of life cars are a necessity for many people with todays working patterns, so its a bit simplistic to say there are busses etc and ban cars or charge to enter an area.
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I said I have looked into public transport but forgot to mention that most of the time I have very expensive testing and measuring equipment with me so transporting that lot on public transport would be nigh on impossible.
As was pointed out above some people HAVE to use cars, vans etc. but if public transport was better the general public would use it more so the transport companies would generate more revenue allowing better services.
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