RE: Boris Considering Off-Peak C-Charge
Monday 16th March 2009
The price to enter the congestion zone could be lowered outside of rush hour, it has been revealed. London Mayor Boris Johnson is considering varying the price during the middle of the day in a bid to help businesses inside the zone.
Boris Considering Off-Peak C-Charge
Changes could make it cheaper to enter London during the day
The idea is based on a scheme used in Sweden but would require extensive changes to the way the London C-Charge is operated. Johnson is also considering varying the charge depending on how much carbon dioxide a vehicle emits.
One suggestion is that drivers are charged a small amount every time they enter the zone, although the maximum is capped, and at off-peak times the rate is half the price. The system would use a chip in the vehicle which is picked up by scanners when the vehicle enters the zone.
During a consultation to see if Londoners agreed with the Western extension to the scheme they were also asked about potential changes. Options included applying a peak rate in a similar way to how public transport works.
A spokesman for the Mayor said: 'The basic rate will not go up, this was a manifesto commitment, so if we were to do anything we could lower it which no motorists would object to. There would have to be a premium rate for certain types of vehicles at certain times of the day.
'What we have always said is that we want to make it easier for people to pay the charge, and the work that Transport for London has been getting on with since the consultation is to implement a payment account. The idea of variable payments is something they have been looking at as part of that.'
Discussion
node said:
'The system would use a chip in the vehicle which is picked up by scanners when the vehicle enters the zone'
Hell no! don't even think about coming anywhere near my car with that chip.
Scrap the whole stupid system.
If they switch from ANPR to chip, surely all you'd need to do is remove the chip?Hell no! don't even think about coming anywhere near my car with that chip.
Scrap the whole stupid system.
tim2100 said:
I thought Boris was going to drop the C-Charge?
There is probably still funding in place for other things in London that Ken put in place, removing the C-Charge immediately may take that funding away (if it was using potential C-Charge revenues). Any change or removal has to be incremental and must make sure there are no budgetary problems that could cause the cancelling of essential work and projects,I don't think Boris promised to scrap the C-Charge, but he did get in on a promise not to adopt the proposed change to £25/day for "gas guzzlers".
Edit to add:
If there's a chip and no ANPR involved, surely you could just get a mate with a exempt/low band car at the other end of the country to register, and swap chips.
Edit to add:
If there's a chip and no ANPR involved, surely you could just get a mate with a exempt/low band car at the other end of the country to register, and swap chips.
Edited by theno23 on Monday 16th March 12:37
node said:
'The system would use a chip in the vehicle which is picked up by scanners when the vehicle enters the zone'
Hell no! don't even think about coming anywhere near my car with that chip.
Scrap the whole stupid system.
I imagine it would be similar to the tag systems they operate on some toll roads in the US (Sun Pass in Florida), simply a card fixed to the rear view mirror (okay so I only saw it on CSI). So long as it is removable so that it is only used for CC purposes, I don't like the idea of being tagged like a dog, or criminal.Hell no! don't even think about coming anywhere near my car with that chip.
Scrap the whole stupid system.
Matt
matmoxon said:
node said:
'The system would use a chip in the vehicle which is picked up by scanners when the vehicle enters the zone'
Hell no! don't even think about coming anywhere near my car with that chip.
Scrap the whole stupid system.
I imagine it would be similar to the tag systems they operate on some toll roads in the US (Sun Pass in Florida), simply a card fixed to the rear view mirror (okay so I only saw it on CSI). So long as it is removable so that it is only used for CC purposes, I don't like the idea of being tagged like a dog, or criminal.Hell no! don't even think about coming anywhere near my car with that chip.
Scrap the whole stupid system.
Matt
pdV6 said:
node said:
'The system would use a chip in the vehicle which is picked up by scanners when the vehicle enters the zone'
Hell no! don't even think about coming anywhere near my car with that chip.
Scrap the whole stupid system.
If they switch from ANPR to chip, surely all you'd need to do is remove the chip?Hell no! don't even think about coming anywhere near my car with that chip.
Scrap the whole stupid system.
Drift into a bus lane for a moment even if there is no CCTV watching and you're fined. Run a red light by accident and you're fined. Travel 1MPH over the limit and you're fined. Maybe eventually they'll start charging by the meter in London, who knows.
I live inside the Zone and think it would be a very positive move to have a flexible charge during the day. How this would work I am not sure, but businesses and shops are struggling with an £8 a day charge. Ever tried to get craftsmen or deliveries to your house in W1.....thought not!
Boris is doing his best for Londoners who already pay the most in the world for public transportation, car parking, property, eating, shopping etc. Anything to help ordinary people trying to get about must be seen to be a positive move.
Boris is doing his best for Londoners who already pay the most in the world for public transportation, car parking, property, eating, shopping etc. Anything to help ordinary people trying to get about must be seen to be a positive move.
Good idea.
Maintain the current rate for most cars during the rush hour, but introduce the following:
Outside of the morning and evening rush hours, absolutely everyone get’s charged 50% less, £4. whether it is midday or midnight. Use the additional 24 hour revenue to partially offset the cuts in other areas.
Only charge the biggest cars the full £8. Don’t use Ken’s list which targeted almost anything that wasn’t a pedestrian, but target, say, 2.5L and above, thus protecting the average family car.
I do suspect that there are several key London projects intended to be financed by these revenues meaning it is not possible to scrap altogether 
Maintain the current rate for most cars during the rush hour, but introduce the following:
Outside of the morning and evening rush hours, absolutely everyone get’s charged 50% less, £4. whether it is midday or midnight. Use the additional 24 hour revenue to partially offset the cuts in other areas.
Only charge the biggest cars the full £8. Don’t use Ken’s list which targeted almost anything that wasn’t a pedestrian, but target, say, 2.5L and above, thus protecting the average family car.
I do suspect that there are several key London projects intended to be financed by these revenues meaning it is not possible to scrap altogether 
IPAddis said:
Horse_Apple said:
...target, say, 2.5L and above, thus protecting the average family car
It's a conjestion charge. Use the vehicle length.5-litre V8 Smart car = free.
1.2 litre Maybach = £25.
Ian A.
Having a policy linked to the name, regardless of what it is this week would be too costly due to the regular rebranding and re-spinning of the name.
Obviously, this wouldn't happen if they just called it 'Take it up the dirtbox tax No 238'.
I work in Wembley and commute from near Brighton twice a week. Rail is £38 (return each per day), a season ticket is not viable. By car it is £12-15. I get really annoyed about penalising those that work with so called peak time pricing. Whereas Mrs Miggins who wants to go Harvey Nicks for lunch and a bit of shopping gets there cheaply.
This was supposed to be a congestion charge.!!!
It has nothing to do with engine size and engine size is not relative to polution. A 125 bike can create more polution than a 4X4. Check the emmisions on cars and bikes at your local MOT garage.
The chip is another way to enforce big brother monitoring.
Vote with your car and do as I do. Spend the money driving to somewhere else giving someone else the business and making a stand.
I have not gone into London since the introduction of the congestion charge. I didn't really like the place anyway, full trash and nowhere to park.
There's always somewhere else and someone else that wants your business. And get your friends and familly to come to you if that's where they live.
AT NO TIME SHOULD EMMISSIONS COME INTO CONGESTION.! One or the other.
It has nothing to do with engine size and engine size is not relative to polution. A 125 bike can create more polution than a 4X4. Check the emmisions on cars and bikes at your local MOT garage.
The chip is another way to enforce big brother monitoring.
Vote with your car and do as I do. Spend the money driving to somewhere else giving someone else the business and making a stand.
I have not gone into London since the introduction of the congestion charge. I didn't really like the place anyway, full trash and nowhere to park.
There's always somewhere else and someone else that wants your business. And get your friends and familly to come to you if that's where they live.
AT NO TIME SHOULD EMMISSIONS COME INTO CONGESTION.! One or the other.
Chas-Chiro said:
This was supposed to be a congestion charge.!!!
It has nothing to do with engine size and engine size is not relative to polution. A 125 bike can create more polution than a 4X4. Check the emmisions on cars and bikes at your local MOT garage.
The chip is another way to enforce big brother monitoring.
Vote with your car and do as I do. Spend the money driving to somewhere else giving someone else the business and making a stand.
I have not gone into London since the introduction of the congestion charge. I didn't really like the place anyway, full trash and nowhere to park.
There's always somewhere else and someone else that wants your business. And get your friends and familly to come to you if that's where they live.
AT NO TIME SHOULD EMMISSIONS COME INTO CONGESTION.! One or the other.
yes but the more congestion the more the emissions, so if you reduce congestions, the emissions are also reduced.It has nothing to do with engine size and engine size is not relative to polution. A 125 bike can create more polution than a 4X4. Check the emmisions on cars and bikes at your local MOT garage.
The chip is another way to enforce big brother monitoring.
Vote with your car and do as I do. Spend the money driving to somewhere else giving someone else the business and making a stand.
I have not gone into London since the introduction of the congestion charge. I didn't really like the place anyway, full trash and nowhere to park.
There's always somewhere else and someone else that wants your business. And get your friends and familly to come to you if that's where they live.
AT NO TIME SHOULD EMMISSIONS COME INTO CONGESTION.! One or the other.
I agree wholeheartedly with all comments regarding using the chip to 'enforce' con charge. One mustn't forget that just because Boris is an amiable nice but dim character,that the whole evil system is still in place and been run by the same left wing ,lentil eating ,lesbian.Islingites that newt boy put in place.
In the last 12 months I have paid these jobsworth scum £180 for heinous crimes such as stopping on a double yellow line for a couple of minutes (at 2.00am)in Soho,outside Ronnie Scot's whilst my wife and some friends got in the car- in the pouring rain! This was picked up by camera and the fine arrived a couple of days later.If they have chips pesumably with gps locaters,they won't even need camera operators.
In the last 12 months I have paid these jobsworth scum £180 for heinous crimes such as stopping on a double yellow line for a couple of minutes (at 2.00am)in Soho,outside Ronnie Scot's whilst my wife and some friends got in the car- in the pouring rain! This was picked up by camera and the fine arrived a couple of days later.If they have chips pesumably with gps locaters,they won't even need camera operators.
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