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Evening Standard

Ken must still listen to worries

by Ross Lydall, Local Government Correspondent

Councils affected by the congestion charging scheme were mixed in their reactions to the Mayor's court victory.

While Lib-Dem Islington and Labour Camden broadly welcome the principle of cutting traffic levels, Lambeth, run by a coalition of Lib-Dems and Tories, will be disappointed that its backing of the Kennington Association has not paid dividends.

Steve Hitchins, Lib-Dem leader of Islington council, which will see Clerkenwell and Finsbury included inside the zone as it runs along City Road and Pentonville Road, said: "We have always supported congestion charging so I'm delighted that it's going ahead without legal delay.

"But I think Ken Livingstone should take note that people are concerned, especially those living on the immediate boundary, that their interests are taken into full consideration.

"We are very concerned that traffic isn't increased around the edges of the boundary. We want to work closely with the Mayor and Transport for London to make sure there's a smooth implementation and achieve the objective of reducing traffic levels."

The RAC Foundation called on Mr Livingstone to postpone next February's planned introduction of the scheme until he had secured better public transport.

Spokesman Jonathan Simpson said: "If Ken had been able to invest so much more in terms of the Tube and have an attractive Tube, bus and rail system, then fine, go ahead. I think he's putting the whole future success of London's economy at stake."

He predicted many drivers would opt to pay the £5 daily charge, possibly passing it on to their companies, or try to find a new route to and from work outside the charging zone.

He said this was inevitable because bus journeys were now taking two to three times longer because of the rephasing of traffic lights.

Residential areas just outside the zone also faced being blighted with commuter traffic because Mr Livingstone had failed to introduce traffic calming measures. "This means that areas like Kennington and Islington will become rat runs," said Mr Simpson.

The AA said it was disappointed that the scheme could go ahead without a public inquiry. Policy director John Dawson said: "This is potentially the biggest transport development to affect drivers across the South, yet there has been no independent examination to establish whether the basic assumptions of those promoting it make sense. It is unacceptable that the very people promoting the scheme are the ones to decide whether it goes head."

Opposition Labour councillors on Westminster accused the ruling Tory administration of wasting at least £200,000 of taxpayers' money on a "futile" legal challenge.

Labour group leader Simon Stockill said: "Given that Westminster council still raises over £60million every year for charging motorists to park in central London, to complain about congestion charges now is pure hypocrisy.

"The money wasted on lawyers' fees in a politically motivated and pointless attack on Ken Livingstone could have paid for 10 extra teachers who are badly needed in our local schools."

© Associated Newspapers Ltd., 31 July 2002

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