In theory, yes. Large engined cars have no advantage over smaller ones in London. They all sit in the same jams for the same amount of time but contribute more to London's relatively poor air quality. That's an economic bad for all sorts of reasons so it's logical they should pay more.
What I'm not so sure of is the effect it's likely to have. The congestion charge was concieved as exactly that, a fee to make driving in central London relatively more expensive than other modes of transport. It hasn't worked and congestion is now back to its pre-charge levels .... a market signal that inidcates the price is set too low for the scheme to achieve its objective. But an increase on only the very biggest cars will affect relatively few who probably have the means to fork out the extra anyway so I'd bet it won't make the C-charge any better as a C-charge. Add this to Ken's plan to allow <120 g/km CO2 cars to enter for free and it seems the objective is being tacitly altered to an environmental tax on big engined cars. This is likley to cause more journeys in smaller cars, more congestion, more jams and more pollution. Lose-lose in other words.....although there is a flip-side to that if the plan is to plough all the loot into public transport so that it gets so good, nobody wants to drive .... Use the stick to grow the carrot. I'd be all for that.
_________________________ "Forward", he cried, from the rear, and the front rank died. And the General sat, and the lines on the map moved from side to side.
I'm from Manchester, so I'm no expert on London; but I have been there a lot of times & I can't understand why anybody would want to drive in central London anyway.
My own city centre is bad enough for traffic, congestion, extortinate parking rates & over zealous traffic wardens, but in London it's 159 times worse!
London is blessed with great public transport, so why drive into the centre?
If you all didn't come in to the centre, in your cars, Livingstone would be at his wits end with the reduction in takings.
He says it's a congestion charge, but it's no such thing.
Ten million Honda Civic Hybrids descending on London would cause the greatest 'congestion' ever, but not one of them would pay Livingstone's 'Congestion Charge'!
Also, in regards to this Low Emission Zone thing that he has brought: why don't all lorry, truck & van drivers refuse to deliver anything in London at all?
You'd cripple the place within 2 days & Ken would get very shaky if he sends one of his lapdogs out to buy him some of his beloved whiskey, only to find the shop empty because no companies would deliver in London.
With the new rules it has started to become an environmental charge rather than a congestion charge.... though... if everyone swapped their SUV/4x4/Limo etc, etc for a car in Bands A and B whilst there would be the same number of cars they would take up far less room ... so there would be less congestion!
I'm with B on this, overall I'm in favour of it, based on emissions, by doing it that way it is cleaning up the air... though I'd agree with one of Palmy's posts in another thread that they also need to tackle emissions from Buses, Lorries and Taxis at the same time - I understand that they are doing so with Taxis and Buses, but far too slowly....
Originally posted by Bamford: I am actually quite happy with this. I know many won't be, but does anyone else have some sympathy with the rule?
I would be Ok with it if it somehow alleviates the congestion/emissions but as we all know if you were to remove all the cars in tax band G from London streets the difference would still be negligible.
I agree with Syntax. I have lived in London for over 15 years and I never drive into the centre. For a start the parking is bad and if you find somewhere it's extortionate. As for large SUV's etc, they are a joke. They are often driven by selfish mothers ferrying their kids to school. Anyone living near a school can witness the gridlock (no wonder UK kids are so obese , begining to get like Americans in that they don't walk anywhere). Since the congestion charge buses move more freely and central London is calmer and has allowed for certain areas to be pedestrianised eg. Trafalgar Square
I have to say that when I visited Central London recently with Bamford I was surprised at how few vehicles there were when we walked back to the station compared with my last visits before the CC - I used to hate walking down there but now its a lot better...
Originally posted by Bamford: I am actually quite happy with this. I know many won't be, but does anyone else have some sympathy with the rule?
I would be Ok with it if it somehow alleviates the congestion/emissions but as we all know if you were to remove all the cars in tax band G from London streets the difference would still be negligible.
Gas guzzlers are rife in Chelsea, Kensington, etc. It'd take a lot of cars off the road, if they weren't there!
Fair point re the average speed... so I guess it would probably deter people from driving into London in big cars, but how else would they get in if they have no other car?? Tube's would get even more packed, same with normal trains... and buses...
Originally posted by Jimmy_: Fair point re the average speed... so I guess it would probably deter people from driving into London in big cars, but how else would they get in if they have no other car??
It they are driving something like a Bi-Turbo 6 litre, as Bamford used as an example, chances are they could afford a smaller second (or third, fourth... tenth) car. Either that, or the £25 couldnt concern them in the first place!
