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Not good news for Ken
Page 14
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FTA survey shows congestion scheme isn't working. Jennifer Ball reports.
LONDON CONGESTION charging is failing operators, according to a Freight Transport Association (FTA) survey. with 79% saying that any benefits have been outweighed by the cost.
About 70% of the FTA members who were surveyed say truck journeys into the zone are no quicker than before the scheme was introduced a year ago. And a massive 85% say the charge has not reduced their number of journeys.
This mirrors CM's own research, which found that, while traffic in the zone has fallen since the charge was introduced, the outskirts of the City remain gridlocked. But London Mayor Ken Livingstone has hailed the scheme a major success,saying it has cut both car trips in the city and delays by 30%.
However, he accepts that it has led to "some small changes" to traffic on the zone's perimeter.
The scheme has cost operators an average of £12,000, but only 37% have been able to pass the costs on to their customers.
The FTA's policy manager for London, Sarah Watkins, says: -This survey clearly demonstrates that it provides almost no benefits but imposes a high financial and bureaucratic cost. "The FTA remains convinced that goods vehicles.., should be excluded from the scheme. The charge does not affect their presence in London—it just puts up the cost."
• See page 28 for our investigation into the effects of the charge on operators 12 months on.