Plan To Extend C-Charge Into Royal Borough Make No Sense Say Lib Dems

12.00.00am GMT Fri 12th Dec 2003

Congestion charge signs in Central London

Kensington & Chelsea Liberal Democrat councillor, Jennifer Kingsley, today strongly criticised plans by the current London Mayor to extend the congestion charging zone into the Royal Borough.

The councillor has revealed that under Ken Livingstone's scheme, some council taxpayers in Kensington & Chelsea will find themselves subject to the daily £5 charge to visit other parts of the Borough, whereas nearby neighbours will not.

Jennifer Kingsley said:

"According to the Mayor's plans, not all of the Royal Borough would be included in the zone. It seems unjust that thousands of residents living outside the zone would not enjoy the same benefits - reduced congestion and the discount - as those inside the zone although they are obliged to pay the same rate of council tax, the same car parking permit charge and incur the same obligations as those living inside the zone.

"Furthermore, I am amazed that consultation can be carried out on these ill-thought out plans before we even have the information we need in order to make a sensible judgement."

Cllr. Kingsley believes that the plan has long-reaching effects for the whole of London.

"My colleagues on the London Assembly have submitted a formal response to Mr. Livingstone's plans. Liberal Democrats believe the current Mayor is quite wrong to rush into this new scheme before the research has been done about how the congestion charge is affecting London business and those who find it difficult to afford the charge."

"This is the wrong scheme at the wrong time."

The Liberal Democrats believe that Transport for London should instead step up its work on road pricing which uses global positioning satellite technology, so that congestion 'hot-spots' in locations across Greater London can be targeted for traffic reduction.

Cllr. Kingsley concluded:

"Only road-pricing using satellite technology can provide a fair charging zone that hits traffic where it is needed, rather than simply extending the current zone westward in such an arbitrary manner."