London Congestion Fees (was Timed toll roads)

02-06-2007, 12:31 PM

"Bob Dole" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote

[snip]

>
> Basically, these would be toll roads in which the pricing is
> variable
> by time.
>
> There's reference in the article to London's experience with this
> sort
> of thing, and perhaps some of our UK brethren here would care to
> comment on any impact on bicycling in the center of London.

Greetings from London

Cycling is going up in London, and more in "Central London", where
the charge is, than in "Inner London" or "Outer London" which don't
have a charge What is really going up, though, is motorcycling,
which doesn't pay the Congestion Charge. Motorcycles, unlike cars,
don't have a number plate in front, so there's no way to figure out
who to bill. Motorcycle parking is beginning to get difficult

The increase is probably due to a number of things:

* Osama bin Laden and the 7/7 tube bombings

* Bob Crow, leader of the Transit Union, and his strikes

* Global warming - the tube tunnels are too constricted to allow air
conditioning on trains. The new buses don't have air conditioning or
opening windows, although painting the roofs white is helping to keep
them a bit cooler.

* big reconstruction projects on the tube, leading to many shutdowns
on weekends, and some reduced operation on weekdays.

* the free bike maps - it takes 19 maps to cover all of Greater
London. Cyclists know about them, although the average non cycling
Londoner doesn't seem to. There's also the Journey Planner on the
transport for London web site, which you can set to choose bike as
the only acceptable mode. However, to my mind that's got worse, not
better, with its latest modifications

* the "London Cycle Network" of facilities. I've been known to
upset a few people by saying that this is mostly designed by idiots,
for idiots, and then upset them more by refusing to apologise. My
borough is largely a facility free zone, and cycling is going up here
too.

* Money to subsidise bike training (including for adults). Money
for bike parking in schools

* some - not very much really - bike related celebrations. This
year's Tour de France (in July) will start in London. - Prologue
past the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, the Royal Parks
etc., first proper stage, out from London to the Channel ferry port
at Dover.

There has been too little study into which of these is actually
significant. I suspect that is because those could ask the
questions think they won't want to hear the answers. The majority of
money, effort, and controversy, is going into facilities.

Jeremy Parker