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London mayor candidate proposes radical C-charge shake-up
Date: 23 March 2015 | Author: Daniel Puddicombe
The London Congestion Charge's pricing structure could be tweaked to make it more expensive to drive on days when air pollution is high, a potential mayor of London candidate has suggested.
Currently, motorists pay the standard rate of £11.50 between 07.00 and 18.00, Monday to Friday, but Labour mayoral candidate Christian Wolmar said drivers should be charged a few pounds extra to discourage them from using their cars, according to the London Evening Standard.
Wolmar also proposed changing the boundaries of the zone, and bringing mini-zones at Heathrow and town centres such as Croydon.
Wolmar is one of four declared Labour candidates alongside Dianne Abbott, Dame Tessa Jowell and David Lammy.
Under his proposals, the smart-charging system would give Transport for London greater control over the capital's busiest roads. He claimed that a similar scheme in Singapore has resulted in 65% of commuters using public transport.
Drivers could also be charged more to use roads that are congested or are undergoing roadworks.
"We need a more flexible system," he told the Standard. "This is not about revenue raising but about trying to ensure people avoid busy streets and are encouraged to use less busy routes."
According to the Wolmar for London Transport Vision report, there would be an introduction of congestion charge discounts for VAT-registered businesses using a maximum of five vehicles.
The report also states the London Ultra Low Emission Zone should be bigger and apply throughout the capital, while the police and TfL would have the power to impound offending vehicles in the current Low Emission Zone.
London's car club clubs would be covered by an expanded Oyster card system in an attempt to reduce the need for people to own their own vehicles, the report added.
