Busy buses make mayor beam
2004-02-17 14:26
London - London Mayor Ken Livingstone on Tuesday hailed the success of vehicle tolls that have cut the traffic volume in central London by 18 percent since the programme began a year ago.
The reduction reported by Transport for London, a city agency, fell short of the 20 percent prediction made by Livingstone's office last year. The report also said traffic delays within the toll zone had been reduced by 30 percent.
In its first year, the charge had raised S129m, well short of the $247m originally projected.
"Congestion charging was a radical solution to a long-standing problem," Livingstone said.
Since February 17 last year, motorists have been charged five pounds a day to drive into central London, a crowded 20 square kilomtre area that includes the bustling financial district.
The number of private cars entering the zone during the day has fallen by 30 percent, Transport for London said.
"We estimate 400 000 less car journeys are being made each day as people shift to the bus system," Livingstone said.
"The biggest success in all of this has been the improvement that this has had on buses."
Bus usage is now back to the level in 1958, he said.
Livingstone had insisted the drastic action was necessary to ease jams in London, where traffic speed averaged just under 16km/h during the day.
The mayor is now proposing to double the size of the restricted zone to cover Westminster and the fashionable areas Kensington and Chelsea.
Drivers buy daily, weekly, monthly or yearly passes by credit card on the internet or by phone, or pay by cash or cheque at post offices and some shops, and must quote their licence plate number.
A network of 800 cameras linked to computers polices the zone, photographing licence plates between 07:00 and 18:30 on weekdays.
Computers automatically check plate numbers against a national database and those yet to pay are given until midnight before being fined 40 pounds, rising to 80 pounds after two weeks and 120 pounds after 28 days.
Residents of the zone get a 90 percent discount. Registered disabled people, taxis, emergency services, moped riders and vehicles powered by alternative fuels are exempt.
- AP