Congestion charge in Western Extension ditched

The charge will be removed on Christmas Eve after less than 3 years in operation. The Congestion Charge will rise to £10 or £9 if paid using the new CC Auto Pay system.

London Major, Boris Johnson has been against the extended zone in West London, which was introduced in February 2007. In a statement he was clearly victorious.

He said: “It [the charge] will be vanquished, annihilated and obliterated, with road markings literally blasted from the earth over the festive period”.

The consultation ran between 24 May and 2 August this year and received more than 13,000 responses.

In addition to the new Auto Pay system, other changes will come into force. A Greener Vehicle Discount will replace the current Alternative Fuel Discount, which is aimed at encouraging a switch to more CO2 efficient cars.

The new scheme is to take account of some new vehicles that do not currently qualify for the alternative fuel discount but have an improved environmental performance. Over the next year or so it is thought that new electric and hybrid electric plug-in vehicles will be brought to market. From January 4 any vehicle emitting less than 100g/km of CO2 will be exempt from paying the London Congestion Charge.

The moves are controversial. Environmental Protection UK in a letter to Transport for London expressed their strong opposition to the removal of the Western Extension zone, saying they believed that congestion, air pollution and CO2 emissions would rise.

Alison Brown