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144 
P CONGESTION CHARGING
Page 10
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Congestion charge plans met with 'disappointment'
By Roger Brown THE MAYOR OF London has unveiled plans to raise the London congestion charge, scrap the western extension of the zone and end the fleet discount scheme.
Boris Johnson says the proposed modifications to the scheme due to come into effect by December 2010, subject to consultation will include the introduction of an automated payment account option, which has provisionally been called CC auto pay.
The changes will mean: • A rise in the daily charge from £8 to £10 for customers who do not take up the automated payment option and continue to pay through existing channels.
• An increase in the daily charge to .€9 for those who use the automated payment option.
• Removal of the fleet discount for firms with 10 or more vehicles. Fleet operators will now be asked to pay a "modest" registration fee to sign up for the automated payment option.
• Scrapping the western extension of the charging zone. covering most of Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea.
However, a TNT Express Services UK spokesman says the increase represents "yet another tax on already hard-pressed businesses working in the capital".
He adds: "It is clear that the commercial requirements of fastmoving firms in London can only be served by a dynamic road-based service industry.
"Therefore, we feel this industry remains an easy target regarding these charges."
GordonTelling,FreightTransport Association head of policy for London, says he is disappointed with the increase in the charge, but says: -We welcome the introduction of the automated payment system, which brings to small companies the same savings in administration that were only
available to larger fleets."
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