Study shows congestion charge does not cut pollution
Date: 06 May 2008
A new study has shown that city centre congestion charges do nothing to cut pollution or better the quality of air.
Researchers from King's College, London have concluded that the capital's charge, which was introduced in 2003 affecting couriers working the capital, has made no difference to levels of smog in the city as extra buses and taxis are using the roads.
Professor Frank Kelly, environmental health expert at the institute and the study leader, said: "The problem was that the central zone was only one per cent of the Greater London area.
"Even though it reduced the traffic by 40,000 vehicles a day, there was a dramatic increase in the number of buses."
Kelly added that the introduction of the low emission zone (LEZ) could see improvements to the air, with people undertaking courier work and other large vehicle drivers having to pay between £100 and £200 to enter most of London if their vehicles do not meet pollution standards.
Meanwhile, in what could be good news for couriers, plans to introduce a £25-per-day congestion charge for high emission vehicles could be scrapped by new London mayor Boris Johnson who pledged to abandon the initiative in his manifesto.
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