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First and second week

The first was a good one.  The capital’s central streets basked in Sunday levels of traffic. The sun shone on a near-pastoral scene, while pedestrians and cyclists appear to have reclaimed the streets from the motor car. Traffic levels have fallen by 25 per cent following the introduction of the world’s largest congestion charging scheme on Monday. 

Of course, it is really too early to judge if the charge is working.  Next week, when the half-term break ends, will be a big test. But so far the critics have been, largely, silenced. 

“There aren’t too many weeks when each day is better than the one before,” said Bob Kiley the man charged with turning round London’s ailing transport infrastructure. “There were many critics of the charge — people said it was a crazy, daft scheme. Well this has been a big week for all those people who were working very hard on it because no one expected it to go quite as well as it has.” 

Even John Spellar, the Labour Transport Minister, rang Ken Livingstone to congratulate him on the smooth start. 

Some 190,000 people drove into the zone on Monday - down from the usual 280,000. Sixty five thousand were exempt.

Trafficmaster, which has 240 sensors monitoring congestion in the city, said journey times had been cut by up to 45 per cent.

28 Feb update

The congestion charge was still going well at the end of the second week.  Overall traffic in the charging zone had fallen 25% in the first week when the schools were also on half term.   Last week the fall was smaller, only 20% according to the BBC, but still much larger than anyone had predicted.  Bus timetables are having to be rewritten, as they cross London faster than anticipated!   

Well done Ken.   Who says politicians never take a principled stand on anything?   

Jim Thornton

2 April update (Economist 22 March 2003)

Average speeds in the charging zone - doubled from 9.5 mph to 20 mph

Traffic in the zone - reduced by 20%

Delays to buses - reduced by half

Bus passenger numbers - up by 14%

Traffic on peripheral roads - up by 10% (but no change in journey times).  Did Ken fiddle the traffic light timings before the launch?  

London business opinion;

    75% think the charge is working well

    Impact on their business:

        Positive 30%

        Neutral 65%

        Negative 5%

MORI poll

Londoners in favour of the charge 50%

Against 36%

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Last modified: September 26, 2006