Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[London to consider scrapping congestion charge for economy's sake]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/19/london-to-consider-scrapping-congestion-charge-for-economys-sak/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/19/london-to-consider-scrapping-congestion-charge-for-economys-sak/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/19/london-to-consider-scrapping-congestion-charge-for-economys-sak/#commentsFiled under: , ,



London Mayor Boris Johnson is considering scrapping the city's oft-maligned Congestion Charge. The pay-to-drive strategy was instituted back in 2003 as a way of reducing traffic in the busy British capital, but it has met with fierce opposition from motorists and some politicians. Shortly after taking office, Johnson got rid of the latest extension which instituted the C-Charge in western parts of the city, but the Congestion Charge Zone is still alive and well in Central London. While it may be effective in reducing traffic (though that's often debated as well), the charge of £8 to enter the CCZ, along with fines of between £60 and £180 for non-payment seems to be enough to keep shoppers out of London during the holiday season, so it has been temporarily suspended. To help boost the city's ailing economy, Johnson is extending the downtime through January 1.

When asked if he would consider ridding the city of the C-Charge completely, Johnson didn't immediately discount the idea, saying that he'd "brood on it" for a while. While it's obvious that London has a serious congestion problem, in these troubled economic times, financial problems might take priority. Stay tuned.

[Source: PistonHeads]

London to consider scrapping congestion charge for economy's sake originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boris johnsonBorisJohnsonc-chargecongestion chargeCongestionChargelondonlondon congestionlondon congestion chargelondon congestion charge zoneLondonCongestionLondonCongestionChargeLondonCongestionChargeZoneFri, 19 Dec 2008 07:01:00 EST<![CDATA[London congestion charge has failed to solve congestion]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/08/london-congestion-charge-has-failed-to-solve-congestion/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/08/london-congestion-charge-has-failed-to-solve-congestion/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/08/london-congestion-charge-has-failed-to-solve-congestion/#commentsFiled under: ,

London Congestion Charge: FAIL. According to the most recent reports, traffic in London is exactly as bad today as it was before the C-Charge was ever initiated. London motorists have made their opinion about the system clear in recently voting out ex-Mayor Ken Livingstone, a man who championed the charges and had plans to increase their dollar amount and expand their coverage. The new mayor, Boris "Fast Lane" Johnson, says, "I have always thought that the Congestion Charge is a blunt instrument." Blunt and ineffective, it would seem. While the number of cars within the city limits have gone down, other factors have crept up like an increase in bike and pedestrian traffic that keeps motorists crawling.

There is one thing that the London Congestion Charge was good at: making money. Last year alone, the C-Charges racked up some £268 million (a whopping $536 million) in charges. While it may be hard to see that income go away, the fact is that it still takes Londoners an average of 2.3 minutes per kilometer to drive through the city, so expect to see some major modifications to the system in the coming months.

[Source: Reuters via Motor Authority]

London congestion charge has failed to solve congestion originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boris johnsonBorisJohnsonc-chargeken livingstoneKenLivingstonelondonlondon congestionlondon congestion chargelondon trafficLondonCongestionLondonCongestionChargeLondonTrafficFri, 08 Aug 2008 14:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Mayor Livingstone quintuples London "congestion charge"]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/12/mayor-livingstone-quintuples-london-congestion-charge/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/12/mayor-livingstone-quintuples-london-congestion-charge/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/12/mayor-livingstone-quintuples-london-congestion-charge/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We report this unfortunate development in solidarity with our British comrades. As if it weren't hard enough living in London - already one of the most expensive cities in the world - Mayor Ken Livingstone has drastically increased the congestion charge for cars entering the city. The fine, originally instituted in 2003 at ?5, will jump exponentially to ?25 per day for every vehicle entering downtown London. The news follows last week's announcement that the charge for commercial vehicles increased to a whopping ?200. City officials claim the ?30-50 million it will raise from the added tax revenues each year will be invested into public transportation. Conservative MP (and noted car nut) Boris Johnson calls the charge a "stealth tax" on families requiring larger cars.

As before, low-emissions cars are exempt from paying the fee. Not to worry, though: for drivers who have yet to trade in their secure Range Rovers for an unsafe G-Wiz, the now even-further reviled "Red Ken" Livingstone has a plan: 6,000 rental bicycles to be made available around London by 2010, which should pose no problem for commuters in rain-swept England.

[Source: Bloomberg Europe via Winding Road]

Mayor Livingstone quintuples London "congestion charge" originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>london congestion chargeLondonCongestionChargemayor ken livingstoneMayorKenLivingstoneTue, 12 Feb 2008 18:58:00 EST<![CDATA[G-Wiz! London drivers going electric]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/26/g-wiz-london-drivers-going-electric/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/26/g-wiz-london-drivers-going-electric/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/26/g-wiz-london-drivers-going-electric/#commentsFiled under: ,

The city of London's efforts to control its infamous traffic jams and related air quality issues have focused on discouraging drivers from even considering entering the city with their gas-burners by levying a daily "congestion charge" (a form of usage tax, running about $15 a day) and a stiff annual road tax. Throw in sky high curbside parking fees of up to $70 a day, and drivers are looking for alternatives that provide the freedom of a personal vehicle without the high cost - like GoinGreen's "G-Wiz" electric cars (right).

Electric vehicles are exempt from the congestion charge, the annual road tax, and on-street parking fees, so a regular visitor to central London can recover the $13,000 purchase price of a G-Wiz in just 12 months, according to GoinGreen's managing director Keith Johnston.

The 500 or so G-Wiz electric cars humming through London streets are not only attracting more G-Wiz buyers, but also drawing the interest of competitors, with the electric Maranello 4 and NICE (No Internal Combustion Engine) brands soon to be introduced to Londoners.

Electric city car manufacturers are looking to other European urban markets, and, inevitably, to China to fuel future growth.

[Source: Automotive News]

G-Wiz! London drivers going electric originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jun 2006 15:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city carelectric carg wizg-wizLondon congestion chargeLondon trafficmaranello 4NICE electric carMon, 26 Jun 2006 15:36:00 EST