Congestion Charging

South London Press

News

'Make zone bigger'

Aug 29 2003
By Transport Reporter Oscar Mortali

THE congestion charge could be extended into the heart of South London if campaigners who bitterly fought the controversial scheme get their way.

As our map shows, the £5-a-day zone would include parts of Brixton, Stockwell, Camberwell, Clapham and Battersea.

The proposal has been made by the Kennington Association, the group behind a failed High Court challenge to Mayor Ken's scheme.

It now plans to lobby local MPs, councillors, London Assembly members and Ken himself into extending the zone they fought to prevent. If successful, Kennington would fall within the boundary.

While the scheme has slashed traffic levels in central London, Kennington residents insist it has decimated their close-knit community.

They say businesses have been hit hard with many abandoning the area, and that traffic levels are up along narrow Kennington Lane, which forms part of the boundary.

The association is also angry that wheels are in motion for an extension west into wealthy Kensington and Chelsea, despite Kennington being more central.

Association secretary John Clemens said: "Unlike Kennington Lane, the proposed [southern] route runs along much more commercial roads which are much wider and able to carry more traffic."

The "alternative" boundary road would still cross Tower Bridge but instead run south along the Walworth Road from Elephant and Castle before leading into Camberwell Road, Denmark Hill, Coldharbour Lane, Acre Lane and Clapham Park Road.

It would then run along Long Road, Clapham Common North Side, Cedars Road and Queenstown Road before crossing Chelsea Bridge.

But not everyone is enamoured with the plan.

Walworth Road traders also say they have lost revenue since the charge was introduced in February.

Jim Abbotson, of the non-political pressure group Rescue London, and himself a Walworth Road trader, said: "Nobody is addressing the loss of business and this [southern] scheme would only worsen things for us.

"This is just something thought up by residents to increase the price of their property."

While the Kennington Association admits the alternative route could anger other South Londoners, it insists it has been careful to avoid deliberately splitting communities.

A public meeting is due to take place on October 14 and talks have been lined up with Lambeth and Southwark Assembly member Val Shawcross next month.

A Transport for London spokesman told the South London Press the only extension being considered was the one west.

But she added: "It is possible that other alterations may be made in the long term."

What do you think about the proposals to extend the congestion charge south? * Email: letters@slp.co.uk * Write: 2-4 Leigham Court Road, London SW16 2AT
(Please include your full name, address and phone number)

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