The Congestion Charge - Red Ken's Cash Cow

[Pigpen]

Originally Posted by dry suit diver

yes but the scheme has been succesfull in reducing the amount of cars in town so the revenue is down ,so he puts the price up .

I seem to remember him being asked about this scenario prior to the introduction. His response was that he wouldn't do this, as he would be happy that the traffic had reduced, and that was his sole rationale for the scheme.
Forked tongue?

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by aclivity

much as I dislike road charging, it has made the centre of London a nicer place to be (if you aren't driving that is!). £8 is a lot, but then compared to the £3 you get charged for 27 miles of empty motorway it doesn't seem too bad?

Really in which part of London????

I am a surveyor and I drive all around London and I have noticed no improvement what so ever in my journey time. I have however paid out £3240 in congestion charges and fines since the scam started. Including over £1500 in fines. My men often go slightly inside the zone and because they don’t have to pay they don’t care / forget and I end up with a fine. Its a total rip off they will not allow a company to set up an account and be debited the £5 every time we enter the zone. They do this on purpose to increase the revenue from fines and it works well.

Why do people imagine that a pathetic £5 will put people travelling in London by car when its £6 an hour to park? Having paid £48 a day to park my vans in London centre who is going to be detoured by another £5.

I would like to think the money was going to a good cause but I here there making a loss so its not even self sustaining.

ATB

Mark Chase

[aclivity]

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

Really in which part of London????

West end - Tottenham court road, Oxford street, Great Portland street. I'm not in favour of road pricing per se but I have noticed a difference. I've spoken with cabbies who have noticed an improvement as well, not to mention the fact that more people use cabs now (is there an irony there? £5 to bring your car, or £5 for a cab ride?)

[AirHog]

It would be different, as some people have said, if the money was to stop congestion but as they are thinking of making motorcycle riders pay then how can it still be called a congestion charge.

I think Ken and his mafia planned and implemented this 'tax' with a view that, as stated above by Mr Chase, people would just see it as £5 extra and pay it. What actually happened was that many people stopped coming or switched to un-chargeable methods and this put a hole in their transport funding predictions, hence the rise and hence the thoughts about charging motorcycles.

It aint about congestion, otherwise he would be patting himself on the back and leaving things as they are.

A tax by any other name is still a tax...

Regards

Mark

[aclivity]

are LPG and cars like the prius still exempt? If they remove the prius from the exemption then the whole basis for the charging would be undermined IMHO.

[Tonto]

Originally Posted by Geoff Milne

I seem to remember him being asked about this scenario prior to the introduction. His response was that he wouldn't do this, as he would be happy that the traffic had reduced, and that was his sole rationale for the scheme.
Forked tongue?

Politician?

[Mark Chase]

I have to say I am amazed by the claims of traffic reduction. (OK I avoid Oxford St like the plague). When its half term I can instantly feel the difference on the roads and my day suddenly runs ahead of schedule. but with the CC the feeling only lasted a couple of weeks after the introduction.

As an example it took me a smidge over 2hours to get from Carshalton to London N3 last Monday. That’s about 25miles straight through the centre of the CC zone.

If all I had to pay was £5.00 and the roads were clear I would be over the moon and a big supporter of the project but it hasten worked like that. Whets worse is it’s just a tax on people living in London. I charge extra on all my contracts in London to cover the CC and more and more people living inside the zone are finding it hard to get people out to see them for minor works.

Its just a tax like petrol tax is just a tax lets not kid ourselves its an environmental issue if it were then why isn't the money being spent on converting all London busses and taxis and council vehicles to LPG. They are doing this in Sutton and they don’t charge a congestion charge?

How they can justify a 60% increase in the charge I have no idea but I look forward to 2010 when it hits about £25 maybe then it will make a difference getting all the poor people off the roads and letting us well off types cruse about cruse about in comfort

Bring it on Red Ken lets get the peasants off the road

ATB

Mark Chase

[kevFISH]

... one of my true bug bears

Agreeing with Mr Chase about journey times within the zone - you could get rid of all the cars and you'd still have to stop every 100m for a traffic light etc. Add to that the congestion creation device - know as the bendy bus - plus the one man pollution machine - Black cabs driving around with approx 1.21785425875 persons in - and you still end up travelling at <10mph.

The only winners are the administrators of the scheme, hence the rise and no doubt expansion.

Hats off to Ken for finally charging M/bikes - do they not burn fuel and take up road space. It is, however, a bit of a stab in the back to get people to change to m/bikes and then 3 years later sting them for the full charge - I think £5(£8) a week would be 'FAIR'.

And don't get me started on bus lanes - PAH

[MATTBIN]

WHAT?????
Motorbikes being charged, when did they slip that one in, AFAIK its still and remains free for bikes. I'll check it, but the cameras are front facing and 'we' dont have front number plates.

Must check and get back onto this thread.

Rgds
Matt

Edit - looks like it remains 'free' for all two wheelers to me, latest ammendments dont mention any change to two wheelers.

Evening Standard story that was wrong apparently (24/3/05) see link below
http://www.motorcycleparking.com/frames_index.htm

Phew!!!

Matt

[AirHog]

Originally Posted by kevFISH

Hats off to Ken for finally charging M/bikes - do they not burn fuel and take up road space. It is, however, a bit of a stab in the back to get people to change to m/bikes and then 3 years later sting them for the full charge - I think £5(£8) a week would be 'FAIR'.

And don't get me started on bus lanes - PAH

Surely the best way to cut congestion would be to make all public transport free?? That way, people ~might~ be more inclined to put up with the bad/ late/ unclean/ overcrowded/ outdated service that we have in London.

Roll on the Olympic bid. If we get it, I for one would love to see Ken 'transform' our fair Capital into a modern marvel of public transport loveliness. Closely followed by him walking on water.

Regards

Mark