Comments on: New Mayor Could Weaken London Congestion Charge http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/07/09/new-mayor-could-weaken-london-congestion-charge/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:01:47 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: ManhattanDowntowner http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/07/09/new-mayor-could-weaken-london-congestion-charge/comment-page-1/#comment-54293 ManhattanDowntowner Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:04:13 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/07/09/new-mayor-could-weaken-london-congestion-charge/#comment-54293 Sorry, in reference to the above, I am referring to small businesses in London - Bloomberg's (un)"successful" example. Sorry, in reference to the above, I am referring to small businesses in London - Bloomberg's (un)"successful" example.

]]> By: ManhattanDowntowner http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/07/09/new-mayor-could-weaken-london-congestion-charge/comment-page-1/#comment-54292 ManhattanDowntowner Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:02:24 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/07/09/new-mayor-could-weaken-london-congestion-charge/#comment-54292 I think small businesses (the heart and soul of any city) are fed up with congestion taxing. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2004/04/22/cncong22.xml Business down as a result of Congestion pricing in London http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-5007517-details/Congestion+charge+hammers+shops/article.do Congestion charge hammers shops By Richard Allen, Evening Standard Last updated at 18:51pm on 27.05.03 As recent as September 2007 http://manchester-blog.com/the-congestion-charge-business-effect/ LONDON Chamber of Commerce 79% of central London’s retailers experienced a drop in takings 56% a reduction in customers 42% thought congestion charging should take all, or most of the blame 74.5% of restaurants responding reported a fall in takings Same restaurants noted a 78.3% fall in customer numbers since the change was introduced 54% of those restaurants attributed both drops to the congestion charge As recent as March 2008 http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/Directory/News_and_Media/Press_office/Press_releases/98386_Local_business_crippled_by_congestion_charge.asp Local business crippled by congestion charge by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office 30/05/2008 I think small businesses (the heart and soul of any city) are fed up with congestion taxing.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2004/04/22/cncong22.xml
Business down as a result of Congestion pricing in London
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-5007517-details/Congestion+charge+hammers+shops/article.do
Congestion charge hammers shops
By Richard Allen, Evening Standard Last updated at 18:51pm on 27.05.03

As recent as September 2007
http://manchester-blog.com/the-congestion-charge-business-effect/
LONDON Chamber of Commerce
79% of central London’s retailers experienced a drop in takings
56% a reduction in customers
42% thought congestion charging should take all, or most of the blame
74.5% of restaurants responding reported a fall in takings
Same restaurants noted a 78.3% fall in customer numbers since the change was introduced
54% of those restaurants attributed both drops to the congestion charge

As recent as March 2008
http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/Directory/News_and_Media/Press_office/Press_releases/98386_Local_business_crippled_by_congestion_charge.asp
Local business crippled by congestion charge by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
30/05/2008

]]> By: Doc Barnett http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/07/09/new-mayor-could-weaken-london-congestion-charge/comment-page-1/#comment-53237 Doc Barnett Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:32:55 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/07/09/new-mayor-could-weaken-london-congestion-charge/#comment-53237 I think it's a good thing to get in the infrastructure for a sliding rate congestion charge. It opens the door to extending the charge's hours under this or another regime, eventually to a 24 hour charge that accounts for not just congestion but road use in general. We will see what happens, if Johnson is able to cut into the revenue stream how he proposes to offset the loss. And if pricing is abandoned in West London, whether they like having their congestion back. More likely I think the revenue will have to be maintained near current levels, with different rates for different times and areas. That would actually be better congestion pricing; maybe Johnson is not what he seems and those "self-drivers" (love that!) are all suckers. (In terms of personal finance, that is a given.) I think it's a good thing to get in the infrastructure for a sliding rate congestion charge. It opens the door to extending the charge's hours under this or another regime, eventually to a 24 hour charge that accounts for not just congestion but road use in general. We will see what happens, if Johnson is able to cut into the revenue stream how he proposes to offset the loss. And if pricing is abandoned in West London, whether they like having their congestion back. More likely I think the revenue will have to be maintained near current levels, with different rates for different times and areas. That would actually be better congestion pricing; maybe Johnson is not what he seems and those "self-drivers" (love that!) are all suckers. (In terms of personal finance, that is a given.)

]]> By: Mark Walker http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/07/09/new-mayor-could-weaken-london-congestion-charge/comment-page-1/#comment-53233 Mark Walker Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:57:33 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/07/09/new-mayor-could-weaken-london-congestion-charge/#comment-53233 Boris's chickening out on Ken's plan for the western extension is old news. But the erosion of the plan for central London is a disturbing development. True, the percentage of commuters using transit has dropped in the last few decades, but rising petrol prices will soon reverse that trend. At least no one in London is talking about killing congestion pricing altogether. If the plan can be tweaked in one direction, it can also be tweaked in another. Boris's chickening out on Ken's plan for the western extension is old news. But the erosion of the plan for central London is a disturbing development. True, the percentage of commuters using transit has dropped in the last few decades, but rising petrol prices will soon reverse that trend. At least no one in London is talking about killing congestion pricing altogether. If the plan can be tweaked in one direction, it can also be tweaked in another.

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