Congestion Charge London

[NAPA121]

Has anyone been monitoring the congestion charge propsals in London?

Who knows about this sort of stuff apart from MCN?

Just wondered as I have a letter from the Mayors office in 2005 stating:

"I would like to confirm that both motorcycles and scooters are exempt from the congestion charge because they do not cause congestion. Mr Livingstone also wishes to make it crystal clear that he has absolutely no intention whatsoever of making scooters and motorcycles pay the congestion charge"

I thought whoever is fighting the congestion charge proposal (is there still one?) might find it usefull/interesting?

Regards
Neil

Originally Posted by neil_xb12ss

Who knows about this sort of stuff apart from MCN?

me. i'm the mole on the inside

not sure what proposals you're referring to though...

[NAPA121]

i thought I heard that Ken was expanding the C Charge area and adjusting the exempt vehicals list which currently includes motorbikes but may not after revision.

Might be rubbish then...Hope so as I think Motorbikes should be exempt as we take all the risks of riding in town and dont cause any congestion. If anything, it should be encouraged with tax relief etc IMHO.

Regards

The zone has already been extended to the West, and no further changes to the area covered are planned.

There has however just been a consultation on whether the amount of Congestion Charge paid should be linked to carbon dioxide emissions. The info from this is still being compiled/considered, but this relates to cars, and not to motorbikes.

Proposals include giving exemption to cars with very low emissions, and removing the residents' discount from those who have high polluting cars - which might be what you're referring to.

More info here:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/roadsandpublicspaces/5238.aspx#ercc

As you point out, there's no reason for the Congestion Charge to include bikes, as they don't add to congestion and have relatively low emissions, and those are the two things which the charge is trying to deal with.

[Spiderman]

Ah our mole on the inside must have had the day off when this was discussed.

Apparently, other town centres who wish to trial the CC zone are considering charging all bikes and scooters too and if Ken sees that it leads to further reductions in congestion then he will think of adoppting it for london too.

Lots of 'ifs' and 'buts' there i know and who even knows if he'll be in that position by the time that info comes out.

Originally Posted by rubberduckofdeath

Good post Fizzy

Originally Posted by Spiderman

Ah our mole on the inside must have had the day off when this was discussed.

Apparently, other town centres who wish to trial the CC zone are considering charging all bikes and scooters too and if Ken sees that it leads to further reductions in congestion then he will think of adoppting it for london too.

Lots of 'ifs' and 'buts' there i know and who even knows if he'll be in that position by the time that info comes out.

me? days off? everyone knows that would never happen, what with the stingy public sector holiday entitlements and all that...

it's possible that charging schemes may be introduced in some boroughs and that these may include bikes, though remember apart from anything else we have a single number plate and are therefore a bigger pain in the bum to try and keep tabs on from a payment/enforcement perspective.

For that reason, and the fact that we don't cause congestion or significant carbon emissions, we should be left alone from the TfL Congestion Charge.

IMO more of a concern to bikers in London are:

a) paying to park, esp in Westminster!

b) the idea of road user charging on a broader, national scale, which is likely to hit congested London the hardest - a longer term one this though

Originally Posted by Spiderman

Ah our mole on the inside must have had the day off when this was discussed.

Apparently, other town centres who wish to trial the CC zone are considering charging all bikes and scooters too and if Ken sees that it leads to further reductions in congestion then he will think of adoppting it for london too.

Lots of 'ifs' and 'buts' there i know and who even knows if he'll be in that position by the time that info comes out.

Right so all the people who dont bother riding in on bikes because they have to pay too are going to get to work how? Man the government and councils are THICK!

I have one other question... where does all this revenue go? Some big council mans golden pockets! MAN i hate these money grabbing people!

It makes me that we always seem to be paying extra for nothing.

Originally Posted by ThEGr33k

Right so all the people who dont bother riding in on bikes because they have to pay too are going to get to work how? Man the government and councils are THICK!

I have one other question... where does all this revenue go? Some big council mans golden pockets! MAN i hate these money grabbing people!

It makes me that we always seem to be paying extra for nothing.

Sorry, didn't I just say that there are no plans for bikes to pay congestion charges??

Oh and the revenue raised from them goes to fund public transport improvements, to help accomodate those who switch due to the charges. Sadly it doesn't go into my pockets, or those of any of the big council men that I know...

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Fizzy Fish

Oh and the revenue raised from them goes to fund public transport improvements,

Why should drivers pay for buses?