Mayor Quashes £25 C-charge Hike

[homeless]

WHY is it that whenever labour arte throwing out of anywhere sensibility once again reigns, in scotland the snp sorted out some real crazy road policies and removed tolls from bridges, now the conservatives in london have done something decent.

Labour are complete facists, and totaly anti anything that the people like to do.they have destroyed any sensible policy to help the people and replaced it with laws and regulations to squeeze the people financially and personally.

This whole government has been based around bullying the public and spying on them, and at the same time taxing them to pay for non jobs to pay for it all.

i ask you the people to name one single thing that this labour party has done that has been of benifit, i cant think of anything at all.In 10 years nothing good just all nasty and bad.

London Mayor Boris Johnson has quashed the proposed rise in congestion charge for vehicles deemed the most polluting.

Former mayor Ken Livingstone planned to raise the daily levy from £8 to £25 from October, prompting car maker Porsche to bring a legal challenge.

Mr Johnson pledged in his election manifesto to scrap the £25 charge and said the move would save legal costs.

The mayor has also scrapped a proposal to allow low emission cars free entry to the congestion charge zone.

Mr Livingstone said ditching the charge was a "further blow" to tackling climate change.

'Political tax increase'

Under Mr Livingstone's plans cars emitting high carbon dioxide (CO2) would have paid £25 to enter the zone whereas cars with the lowest emissions were to get a 100% discount on the charge.

Following the proposals in February, a study said the plan would encourage smaller vehicles to enter the zone, increasing congestion and pollution.

Mr Johnson said abandoning the proposal would save Transport for London (TfL) £10m earmarked for the scheme.

He said his decision was in keeping with his aim to achieve a "fairer and more effective" congestion charge.

[Guest sillybear2]

Who cares, $200 oil will be the best congestion charge ever invented. The whole point of the congestion charge is to price the riff-raff off the roads, hence why £25 for Porches is so annoying

[crash2006]

bit annoyed about it, i wanted the £25 charge to come in and the free charge for cars that pollute less.

[Objective Developer]

WHY is it that whenever labour arte throwing out of anywhere sensibility once again reigns, in scotland the snp sorted out some real crazy road policies and removed tolls from bridges, now the conservatives in london have done something decent.

Labour are complete facists, and totaly anti anything that the people like to do.they have destroyed any sensible policy to help the people and replaced it with laws and regulations to squeeze the people financially and personally.

This whole government has been based around bullying the public and spying on them, and at the same time taxing them to pay for non jobs to pay for it all.

i ask you the people to name one single thing that this labour party has done that has been of benifit, i cant think of anything at all.In 10 years nothing good just all nasty and bad.

London Mayor Boris Johnson has quashed the proposed rise in congestion charge for vehicles deemed the most polluting.

Former mayor Ken Livingstone planned to raise the daily levy from £8 to £25 from October, prompting car maker Porsche to bring a legal challenge.

Mr Johnson pledged in his election manifesto to scrap the £25 charge and said the move would save legal costs.

The mayor has also scrapped a proposal to allow low emission cars free entry to the congestion charge zone.

Mr Livingstone said ditching the charge was a "further blow" to tackling climate change.

'Political tax increase'

Under Mr Livingstone's plans cars emitting high carbon dioxide (CO2) would have paid £25 to enter the zone whereas cars with the lowest emissions were to get a 100% discount on the charge.

Following the proposals in February, a study said the plan would encourage smaller vehicles to enter the zone, increasing congestion and pollution.

Mr Johnson said abandoning the proposal would save Transport for London (TfL) £10m earmarked for the scheme.

He said his decision was in keeping with his aim to achieve a "fairer and more effective" congestion charge.

Live in London, do we? Know anything about it at all? Doubt it.

[Rain'ard]

WHY is it that whenever labour arte throwing out of anywhere sensibility once again reigns, in scotland the snp sorted out some real crazy road policies and removed tolls from bridges, now the conservatives in london have done something decent.

Labour are complete facists, and totaly anti anything that the people like to do.they have destroyed any sensible policy to help the people and replaced it with laws and regulations to squeeze the people financially and personally.

This whole government has been based around bullying the public and spying on them, and at the same time taxing them to pay for non jobs to pay for it all.

i ask you the people to name one single thing that this labour party has done that has been of benifit, i cant think of anything at all.In 10 years nothing good just all nasty and bad.

London Mayor Boris Johnson has quashed the proposed rise in congestion charge for vehicles deemed the most polluting.

Former mayor Ken Livingstone planned to raise the daily levy from £8 to £25 from October, prompting car maker Porsche to bring a legal challenge.

Mr Johnson pledged in his election manifesto to scrap the £25 charge and said the move would save legal costs.

The mayor has also scrapped a proposal to allow low emission cars free entry to the congestion charge zone.

Mr Livingstone said ditching the charge was a "further blow" to tackling climate change.

'Political tax increase'

Under Mr Livingstone's plans cars emitting high carbon dioxide (CO2) would have paid £25 to enter the zone whereas cars with the lowest emissions were to get a 100% discount on the charge.

Following the proposals in February, a study said the plan would encourage smaller vehicles to enter the zone, increasing congestion and pollution.

Mr Johnson said abandoning the proposal would save Transport for London (TfL) £10m earmarked for the scheme.

He said his decision was in keeping with his aim to achieve a "fairer and more effective" congestion charge.

I aggree that Labour are Nannies and always have been. Where cars are concerned they can be nearly as bad as the Greens, who in my town they call `Green Adolfs'

But, somehow, someone has got to deter us with our gas guzzlers burning up the fossil fuels, so some are left for future generations. Are you being a baby boomer all over again and ignoring the kids of the future. If you look at the Tories policy on cars you can see the people will be subsisding gas guzzlers.

Someone has to take the Cat to the Vet and be the most unpopular one in the family

[Bobajobbob]

Finally a dose of common sense. All this policy would have achieved was an increase in traffic in the zone as those who could afford it bought small cars for commuting. Those with families or the need for bigger cars or unable to sell bigger cars would have been unfairly hit. It is a congestion charge not a CO2 charge. Petrol tax is already prohibitive for those with big cars and rewards those with more frugal motors.

One arguments says that the sooner we use up the fossil fuels and the higher the price the better for everyone as it will be economically viable to develop alternate technologies. It is certainly better for the environment to keep the car you have and run it into the ground however big the engine than to sell it and purchase a brand new Prius.

I have no objection to taxing more polluting cars at the point of sale however the government policy of backdating charges for older cars is totally stupid. The value of my current car is crucified and I am forced to either pay hugely inflated tax every year buy another "greener" car. Madness and considerably worse for the environment if I buy a new car.

Well done Boris, now if you would hurry up and allow motorcycles in the buslane I will be very happy.

[laurejon]

I have the same views of the Labour Party on Green Issues.

I would like to see the public use Public Transport, I would like to see them waste less food, and I would like to see them using less fuel in heating their houses.

If that can be achieved, then important people like us can move more freely on important business in our cars, we can eat more food as there will be more to go around, and we can heat our swimming pools in our second homes without having to cost the taxpayer a fortune in expense claims.

[deflation]

i ask you the people to name one single thing that this labour party has done that has been of benifit, i cant think of anything at all.In 10 years nothing good just all nasty and bad.

The Minimum wage.

With good intentions: Independence for the BoE That one didn't seem to go to plan.

[iangilb]

My second hand diesel ford fiesta (bought Feb 2008) not looking such a good bet now Diesel £1.31/litre and now no remission on the CC.

[jonewer]

I have the same views of the Labour Party on Green Issues.

You want to make public transport and driving more expensive?

[Justice]

Boris has just thrown the dog a bone, nothing more.

Con's and nulabour are in bed tegeather and playing good cop, bad cop as they push stealth taxes up.

[SpewLabour]

Doesn't affect me at all, but it's good to see. For all those people moaning about Boris doing this, I'd like to point out a few things

1) It was part of his manifesto. The people of London voted for him because it's one of the things he promised to do. It's called Democracy. Not a word that's used much these days !

2) The charge is called "The Congestion Charge". Not the Green tax, not the Pollution tax - the clue is in the name. This extra hike would have done nothing to reduce congestion. By allowing more cars to come into the zone for free it would have increased it.

The congestion charge does not work. It hasn't reduced congestion at all and should be scrapped.

[Rain'ard]

Doesn't affect me at all, but it's good to see. For all those people moaning about Boris doing this, I'd like to point out a few things

1) It was part of his manifesto. The people of London voted for him because it's one of the things he promised to do. It's called Democracy. Not a word that's used much these days !

2) The charge is called "The Congestion Charge". Not the Green tax, not the Pollution tax - the clue is in the name. This extra hike would have done nothing to reduce congestion. By allowing more cars to come into the zone for free it would have increased it.

The congestion charge does not work. It hasn't reduced congestion at all and should be scrapped.

Thanks SL for pointing that out. I didn't realise the two seperate issues.

[SpewLabour]

Thanks SL for pointing that out. I didn't realise the two seperate issues.

I detect a note of sarcasm !!!!

[GiantPanda]

i ask you the people to name one single thing that this labour party has done that has been of benifit, i cant think of anything at all.In 10 years nothing good just all nasty and bad.

Northern Ireland peace process.

It's a shame that the transport ideas that were brought in are being done away with by that tory pr**k. Back to gridlock for london.

[SpewLabour]

Northern Ireland peace process.

Actually started by John Major.

It's a shame that the transport ideas that were brought in are being done away with by that tory pr**k. Back to gridlock for london.

Congestion levels in London are already back to what they were prior to the introduction of the charge. It has achieved precisely nothing, apart from giving Capita a great big fat profit for running it.

[Rain'ard]

I detect a note of sarcasm !!!!

No. I was serious. I really did not realise that the congestion charge was to limit cars and originally did not include co2 tax

[Rain'ard]

Actually started by John Major.

Congestion levels in London are already back to what they were prior to the introduction of the charge. It has achieved precisely nothing, apart from giving Capita a great big fat profit for running it.

Big of them, though at the time, as politicians to take on another party's idea

[Rain'ard]

Northern Ireland peace process.

It's a shame that the transport ideas that were brought in are being done away with by that tory pr**k. Back to gridlock for london.

And Fox Hunting of course. or I wouldn't be posting to you now.

[SpewLabour]

No. I was serious. I really did not realise that the congestion charge was to limit cars and originally did not include co2 tax

Apologies. Congestion charge really p*sses me off. I don't drive in London, but I walk round it a lot. It was originally set at £5, I believe - Ken promised not to raise it, and then promptly raised it to £8. There was also alot of problems with Capita, as they weren't getting the revenue expected (the CC worked for a while - obivously they didn't expect it to actually reduce traffic and were banking on getting the money instead) so Ken promised Crapita that Londoners would bail them out and make up the shortfall.

Then we had the fiasco of the western extension - no one in the zone wanted it as it was mainly residential (with very little congestion) with only a few choke points. The result was that people were penalised (albeit they got a 90% rebate) for living in a particular area. This also meant that people who lived in the zone could now travel into London by car (as they have already paied just to live there) increasing the congestion. There are also routes which are exempt from the charge (the busy ones where it might have worked), while the quiet sleepy residential streets get charged.

The majority of congestion in London is in the east anyway - and Ken wouldn't introduce it there as that is where a large part of his support is !!!

Ken also increased congestion when he introduced the bendy bus - great in Germany, but totally unsuitable to Londons winding roads.

And we now have the farce of the "Low Emission" zone. It's almost as loony as the GLC making London a "Nuclear free zone" in the 80's.

Thank God he's gone