RE: Scrapping The C-Charge Extension: Get Your View In
Monday 2nd August 2010
The public consultation period over London Mayor Boris Johnson's plans to scrap the western extension to the London congestion charge ends today.
Scrapping The C-Charge Extension: Get Your View In
Consultation period nearly over for western extension
Johnson wants to scrap the extension, which was introduced in February 2007, by this Christmas, although Transport for London (TfL) reckons this will cost £55 million in lost revenue.
Once the consultation is ended, TfL will create a report based on the views of those who responded - so if you want your voice heard, get your view in smartish.
Of course, being a politician, Boris giveth with one hand while he taketh away with the other - the remaining central London congestion charge is set to increase from £8 to £10 per day from next January...
Discussion
Glad I don't live in London, nor have the need or desire to drive to the city. With an increase to £10, wouldn't there be some breakage to the people who just wouldn't travel there during those time, or would it really be the case of screwing the people who have little choice.
On balance I'd say it's a good thing to scrap the extension
On balance I'd say it's a good thing to scrap the extension
There's nothing wrong with the idea of the CC. Central London is not suited to cars and there's plenty of public transport available–and of course, you can always walk. But, if you have to drive or need to deliver something, then you can pay.
The problem is the way it's executed. Why isn't there the option to be charged automatically? The current system punishes people for a basic human frailty–forgetfulness.
Ken Livingstone set the CC to deliberately rake in huge amounts of money from fines for late or non-payment from people who drive in and forget to pay.
At the very least, publish the text / phone numbers / URL on the signs at the edge of the zone and more frequently within it.
The problem is the way it's executed. Why isn't there the option to be charged automatically? The current system punishes people for a basic human frailty–forgetfulness.
Ken Livingstone set the CC to deliberately rake in huge amounts of money from fines for late or non-payment from people who drive in and forget to pay.
At the very least, publish the text / phone numbers / URL on the signs at the edge of the zone and more frequently within it.
There's nothing wrong with the idea of the CC. Central London is not suited to cars and there's plenty of public transport available–and of course, you can always walk. But, if you have to drive or need to deliver something, then you can pay.
The problem is the way it's executed. Why isn't there the option to be charged automatically? The current system punishes people for a basic human frailty–forgetfulness.
Ken Livingstone set the CC to deliberately rake in huge amounts of money from fines for late or non-payment from people who drive in and forget to pay.
At the very least, publish the text / phone numbers / URL on the signs at the edge of the zone and more frequently within it.
The problem is the way it's executed. Why isn't there the option to be charged automatically? The current system punishes people for a basic human frailty–forgetfulness.
Ken Livingstone set the CC to deliberately rake in huge amounts of money from fines for late or non-payment from people who drive in and forget to pay.
At the very least, publish the text / phone numbers / URL on the signs at the edge of the zone and more frequently within it.
my understanding was that it didnt actually make any money? it was costing the tax payer to run this scheme, which hasnt actaully changed the amount of traffic in central london.
all the big firms reg their large cars as taxi's / cabs, so they get round it...
its just another tax left over from Labour...scrapp the whole thing, and save the tax payer some money!
all the big firms reg their large cars as taxi's / cabs, so they get round it...
its just another tax left over from Labour...scrapp the whole thing, and save the tax payer some money!
RIGHT ON !!!!
At last someone "NOT" trying to sneakily fine you for being human...
____________________
Drivers could register for an automated payment account - Congestion Charging Auto Pay - using a credit or debit card (excluding Maestro or Solo). Drivers would not need to remember to pay the charge each day they travel as the new system would record the number of days a vehicle travels within the zone each month, and bill accordingly.
Drivers registered for this system would pay a £9 daily charge and would not be issued with PCNs for forgetting to pay.
_______________
At last someone "NOT" trying to sneakily fine you for being human...
____________________
Drivers could register for an automated payment account - Congestion Charging Auto Pay - using a credit or debit card (excluding Maestro or Solo). Drivers would not need to remember to pay the charge each day they travel as the new system would record the number of days a vehicle travels within the zone each month, and bill accordingly.
Drivers registered for this system would pay a £9 daily charge and would not be issued with PCNs for forgetting to pay.
_______________
I live in London, but just outside the zone. Generally I avoid driving through when it's active, in fact I think I've only done it twice, and one of those times it was by accident and got fined.
I don't mind there being a charge, but there ought to be an auto-pay system (which I think they're planning to introduce) and it should be extended to weekends too. London is 24/7 and I don't enjoy spending an hour driving the last 6 miles home on a Sunday afternoon.
I don't mind there being a charge, but there ought to be an auto-pay system (which I think they're planning to introduce) and it should be extended to weekends too. London is 24/7 and I don't enjoy spending an hour driving the last 6 miles home on a Sunday afternoon.
Whilst I do not like, or tend to avoid places which charge me to use facilities I have already paid for through other motoring taxes. it does seeem as though the congestion charge has reduced traffic build up in London a little bit. But this observation is only based on the limited number of times I have driven into Lond since the CC was introduced, so may not be that accurate.
One gripe I do have however is the Dartford crossing, which can only be described as a disgusting travesty, Coming back from France via the Eurotunnel it took just 43 minutes, from entering the facility to driving onto the motorway in the UK. On reaching the M25 it took 2 and half hours to cover just 6 miles to get through the toll booths, and the queue coming the other way was even more disgusting (backed up almost to the M25 - A12 junction!)All for the privelege of paying a toll charge that was `supposed' to have been scrapped / taken away in 2000. Not only have the charges remained, but they have been increased, causing even more problems, as people fumble for change.
The new transport minister stated that in todays dire financial straights, no government could afford to stop taking the cash they get from the crossing.
They should however look at the bigger picture because the wasted fuel, wasted time, lost delivery schedules, lost meetings, lost orders, accidents and pollution which arise because of the tolls, is likely to far outweigh the cash the crossing operators and via taxes the government, make out of the toll booths.
Whilst speeds going over the bridge and through the tunnels needs to be carefully controlled to keep accidents there to a minimum, getting rid of the tolls (as was supposed to happen in 2000), would do a lot towards reducing the damage to the UK economy caused by the toll booths.
I allways fear such enterprises are like the EU, where it seems the majority of UK citizens are made to pay excessively, to enable a small minority to make a lot of money.
The government have closed the petitions website (for the time being at least) so one acnnot even prptest there at the moment.
One gripe I do have however is the Dartford crossing, which can only be described as a disgusting travesty, Coming back from France via the Eurotunnel it took just 43 minutes, from entering the facility to driving onto the motorway in the UK. On reaching the M25 it took 2 and half hours to cover just 6 miles to get through the toll booths, and the queue coming the other way was even more disgusting (backed up almost to the M25 - A12 junction!)All for the privelege of paying a toll charge that was `supposed' to have been scrapped / taken away in 2000. Not only have the charges remained, but they have been increased, causing even more problems, as people fumble for change.
The new transport minister stated that in todays dire financial straights, no government could afford to stop taking the cash they get from the crossing.
They should however look at the bigger picture because the wasted fuel, wasted time, lost delivery schedules, lost meetings, lost orders, accidents and pollution which arise because of the tolls, is likely to far outweigh the cash the crossing operators and via taxes the government, make out of the toll booths.
Whilst speeds going over the bridge and through the tunnels needs to be carefully controlled to keep accidents there to a minimum, getting rid of the tolls (as was supposed to happen in 2000), would do a lot towards reducing the damage to the UK economy caused by the toll booths.
I allways fear such enterprises are like the EU, where it seems the majority of UK citizens are made to pay excessively, to enable a small minority to make a lot of money.
The government have closed the petitions website (for the time being at least) so one acnnot even prptest there at the moment.
The Mayor of London was never intended to have tax raising powers. This was the 'solution' favoured by that 'orrible little communist 
to get around it; blame congestion (heavily influenced by London's eleventy million traffic lights) and call it a 'Charge'. It doesn't even raise much revenue, as the private contractors were neither communist nor stupid.
It should be scrapped, completely.
to get around it; blame congestion (heavily influenced by London's eleventy million traffic lights) and call it a 'Charge'. It doesn't even raise much revenue, as the private contractors were neither communist nor stupid.It should be scrapped, completely.
tim milne said:
The problem is the way it's executed. Why isn't there the option to be charged automatically? The current system punishes people for a basic human frailty–forgetfulness.
In addition, if you speak to the operators they can't confirm whether or not you've been into the CC zone which means that if you've tried to avoid going in (which is surely the stated purpose?) but fear that you might've strayed in due to bad signing etc., you have no option other than pay up unless you want to wait to see if a fine comes through! 
Since the system's based on ANPR, there should be no reason why they can't confirm whether or not you've been nabbed!
peter pan said:
One gripe I do have however is the Dartford crossing... The new transport minister stated that in todays dire financial straights, no government could afford to stop taking the cash they get from the crossing.
They should however look at the bigger picture because the wasted fuel, wasted time, lost delivery schedules, lost meetings, lost orders, accidents and pollution which arise because of the tolls, is likely to far outweigh the cash the crossing operators and via taxes the government, make out of the toll booths.
Wasted fuel = more tax earnt for the government!They should however look at the bigger picture because the wasted fuel, wasted time, lost delivery schedules, lost meetings, lost orders, accidents and pollution which arise because of the tolls, is likely to far outweigh the cash the crossing operators and via taxes the government, make out of the toll booths.
As a resident of the Western extension, I'm all in favour of scrapping it.
What's particularly galling about it is that the resident's discount can only be applied to one car. Therefore, if, as I had to do the other day, I have to take my second car in for repairs during the week, which involves driving it all of 1/4 mile to the service centre, I am stung for £16 (£8 on the day of delivery and £8 on the day of collection), which is entirely unfair, given that the same journey performed in the other car would cost me just £4 (the minimum weekly charge).
What's particularly galling about it is that the resident's discount can only be applied to one car. Therefore, if, as I had to do the other day, I have to take my second car in for repairs during the week, which involves driving it all of 1/4 mile to the service centre, I am stung for £16 (£8 on the day of delivery and £8 on the day of collection), which is entirely unfair, given that the same journey performed in the other car would cost me just £4 (the minimum weekly charge).
Edited by Wolands Advocate on Monday 2nd August 14:51
Gassing Station | Motoring News | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff