Plans to double the size of London’s congestion charge zone will increase traffic inside the existing zone and make a loss for a decade, according to officials at Transport for London (TfL).
The mayor Ken Livingstone proposes to extend the zone from 2006 to include most of Kensington and Chelsea and more of Westminster.
As a result the number of car drivers eligible for a 90% discount would triple to 120,000.
The extension would cost £120m and up to £60m to run which would mean there would be no surplus to invest in public transport until 2016.
Michelle Dix, TfL’s congestion charge director, believes that the mayor will be forced to break his pledge not to increase the charge in real terms for a decade if he is prevent congestion from creeping up.
References: The Times 03/11/03 page 5
