LIB DEMS OPPOSE C-CHARGE PRICE HIKE AS LIVINGSTONE'S REASONS AND FIGURES DON'T ADD UP

4.59.06pm GMT Mon 28th Feb 2005

On the final day of the consultation into the proposed increase in the Congestion Charge from £5 to £8, the London Assembly Liberal Democrats today came out against the rise on the basis that the reasons put forward by the Mayor for the increase do not add up.

The Lib Dems have come out against the proposals because:-

· Congestion in the capital has fallen for the last five months consecutively. As this is the case, the full extent of the decrease in congestion from the original charge is yet to be fully assessed.

· According to the draft consultation, unless the Charge is raised to £8, the westward extension, which the Liberal Democrats also oppose, would run at a loss. The draft consultation states "For a £5 charge, the net benefits [of extending the Charge Westwards], are unlikely to cover the costs."

· The full impact of the effects on business of the current charge have not been sufficiently assessed

Lynne Featherstone said:-

"The Congestion Charge was meant to be designed first and foremost as a tool to reduce traffic levels in the capital. On this basis, the scheme so far has been a resounding success. However, it seems that Mr Livingstone is now using the Charge as a crude instrument for raising extra cash to pay for the westward extension of the zone rather than managing traffic levels.

"It is time for the Mayor to come clean with Londoners about his real reasons for trying to put up the Congestion Charge."

ENDS

Notes to editor

A copy of the submission to Transport for London's consultation on the increase in the Congestion Charge from £5 to £8 can be found below:-

LIB DEM LONDON ASSEMBLY GROUP RESPONSE TO PROPOSED RISE IN CONGESTION CHARGE.

The Liberal Democrat Group at the London Assembly opposes the Mayor's proposal to raise the Congestion Charge from £5 to £8. The level of traffic entering the Central Zone has not increased, indeed on the latest TfL figures it has reduced further. The Mayor's charge increase is a transparent attempt to raise funds urgently to fund his flawed western extension of the Central Zone, and to plug the hole in Transport for London's finances.

· Liberal Democrats re-affirm their strong support for the original Congestion Charge scheme for London's central zone. Our aim is to reduce traffic congestion in London, and especially in the centre of the capital. It is our view that policy and charge levels should be designed first and foremost to realise that aim, rather than for short-term revenue considerations.

· The Mayor told the Transport Committee that it was his wish to reduce traffic entering the Central Zone further, with a target in the area of 17-21% compared with the level when the charge was introduced. His original target was 15% which was achieved shortly after the introduction of the charge. Papers for the most recent TfL Board meeting state that a reduction of 21% has already been achieved, so the Mayor's justification for the charge increase is invalid.

· We remain concerned that we still do not have adequate research evidence of the effect of the Central Zone Congestion Charge on the business and retail sectors both inside and outside the Zone. Decisions on the rate of the Charge should be based on hard evidence, not on political instinct.

· We welcome the news that Transport for London are developing new technology that will enable vehicles to be fitted with a windscreen sensor which will register the vehicle's passage along a particular road and thus for the driver to be automatically charged from a nominated bank account. This appears to be less contentious in civil liberties terms than a system relying on global positioning satellite technology.

· We look forward to a statement from the Mayor that he will initiate a dialogue with London Boroughs once TfL is satisfied that the windscreen sensor technology is viable, to determine which "congestion hot-spots" should be targeted by road-pricing, and to arrange for appropriate protection against consequent rat-running.

· Particularly in view of the development of new technologies, we once more deplore the Mayor's commitment to extending the existing Central Zone westward into Kensington and Chelsea using the original technology. We remain convinced that offering a 90% discount to all those resident in the extension area will simply encourage them to drive their cars into central London. The £8 charge will self-evidently not deter people who have been offered a 90% discount. Moreover, the indications are that the western extension will lose money, and it is likely that some of the revenue raised by the increased congestion charge will be frittered away.

Graham Tope AM

Sally Hamwee AM

Lynne Featherstone AM

Dee Doocey AM

Mike Tuffrey AM

28/02/05