Congestion Charging in London Update

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Congestion Charging in LondonUpdate

• Lucinda Turner
• Policy Manager, Congestion Charging Division, TfL

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London Congestion Charging
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Impacts

• Congestion in charging zone down 26
• Traffic entering charging zone reduced by 17 -
  with chargeable vehicles down 31
• Bus patronage up, reliability and journey time
  improved
• Little or no change in number of trips to central
  area 5060 moved to public transport, 2030
  divert round zone, 1525 other adaptations
• Reduced emissions in the zone (NOx down 13 PM10
  down 15 CO2 down 16)
• Between 40-70 additional fewer accidents per year
  compared to background trend
• Net revenues 122m in 05/06

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• Scheme revenues and costs 2005/06
• ( million provisional)
• Charge Revenue 145
• Enforcement revenue 65
• Total Revenue 210
• Total operating cost 88
• Net Revenue 122
• Application of net Scheme Revenues 2005/06
• ( million provisional)
• Bus network improvements 100m
• Roads and bridges 14m
• Road safety 4m

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Recent travel trends in London
Trends in London population, jobs, traffic,
public transport use, motoring costs, bus and
tube fares
Bus PKms
Underground PKms
Employment
Underground fares
Minor Roads
Population
Traffic
Major Roads
Motoring costs
Bus fares
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Its difficult to balance priorities
Policy interventions that have increased space
available

• congestion Charge
• more rigorous enforcement of parking and loading
  controls

Policy interventions that have reduced road space

• signal installations
• increase in pedestrian crossings / pedestrian
  phases at traffic signals
• significant increase in bus lanes as part of bus
  priority
• increase in street / road works by utilities
  companies

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With the magnitude of growth facing London,
congestion will only get worse
5.5 million jobs
900,000 jobs

8.3 million people
800,000 people
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Future transport trends
Projected increase in car trips
10.8m
Possible Impact of policies to limit car trips
Projected increase in public transport trips
7.6m

• Notes
• Includes planned schemes and major infrastructure
  projects i.e. CTRL, CrossRail, River Crossings,
  and Intermediate Transit Schemes, plus Congestion
  Charging Western Extension.
• Shows the projected increase in public transport
  if car trips remain at current levels. Shows the
  projected increase in car trips taking into
  account population growth and car
  ownership/household at current levels. Work is
  ongoing to further validate and understand recent
  and projected trend in car trips.

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The role for road user charging

• RUC must be an element of the policy mix because
  the objectives and targets for London cannot be
  met without it
• The Mayor has indicated that he is keen to
  implement RUC in London within the context of a
  national scheme
• RUC can reduce congestion by
• reducing vehicle kms, and encouraging a shift to
  other modes as well as less congested times of
  the day
• RUC can reduce emissions by
• reducing traffic kms and volumes
• improving traffic flow
• encouraging take up of less polluting vehicles
• providing for carbon offset arrangements

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Development of charging

• Western Extension (go-live date is 19 February
  2007)
• changes to the scheme eg hours, pay-next-day
• We are examining
• further customer improvements eg account
  facilities
• emissions influenced charging
• new technologies to improve the way in which we
  charge
• other areas where congestion is a problem
• working with DfT looking at the possibilities for
  a national distance-based charging scheme using
  satellite technology

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Emissions related charges

• Congestion charging in its own right helping to
  reduce emissions
• Mayor wants to do more by further incentivising
  the take up of less polluting vehicles
• Currently 100 discounts for certain alternative
  fuel vehicles
• Mayor has proposed
• phasing out of alternative fuel discount and move
  to technology neutral approach
• 100 discounts for VED band A and B vehicles (up
  to 120g CO2 per km) in 2008
• 25 charge for VED band G vehicles and
  equivalents (above 225g CO2 per km)
• 90 residents discount withdrawn for Band G
  equivalent cars
• NB higher charge would apply to all cars
  registered since 2001 with emissions of more than
  225g/km (this would therefore affect other VED
  Bands registered before March 2006 as well as all
  Band G cars registered since March 2006)

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Technological and behavioural change is required
to meet Londons CO2 emissions targets
CO2 Emissions from Londons Transport Sector
1990 CO2 baseline
Business as usual
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CO
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Co-ordination with a national scheme?

• What will it look like?
• What technologies will be needed?
• What provision will be made for visitors?
• Will it be mandated?
• What about privacy?
• How can it be rolled out?

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But will the public be convinced?

• Strong, deliberate action needed to tackle
  congestion cut emissions
• Mayor has ability to influence transport directly
• road pricing could deliver on economic and
  environmental objectives
• in London, congestion charging is a proven policy
  and flexible
• revenues enable carrots as well as sticks
• surveys show increasing recognition that action
  is needed
• development of complementary measures eg local
  authorities parking charge proposals
• But
• some vocal opposition (eg current petition
  nationally)
• perception that people at limits of taxation
• inevitably many people will perceive themselves
  as losers
• would need new level / type of stakeholder
  management
• how proportionate costs imposed v incentive to
  change behaviour
• Need a careful approach
• broader forward looking policy context eg Mayors
  Transport Strategy, London Plan, etc
• part of wider drive to encourage people to take
  individual responsibility / adapt behaviour
• need to explore options / associated measures to
  make more palatable