Paying to drive downtown--in London
By: Drivers.com staff
Date: 2003-02-09
With traffic speeds in the downtown core averaging about 10 miles per hour, the city of London had to do something. After much debate and four rounds of public consultation, Mayor Ken Livingstone decided to introduce a "congestion charge," a 5-pound (about US $ 8) fee applied to motorists driving into the downtown area. As the kick-off date (February 17) approaches, the controversy still rages--on everything from who's exempt to scams to beat the charge to privacy considerations as surveillance technologies scan the streets looking for toll dodgers.
The February 17 date may be deferred due to a crash in the subway, but when it starts, the toll will apply between 7am and 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, excluding Public Holidays.
The boundary of the zone is formed by the Inner Ring Road, on which the toll does not apply. The license plate numbers of vehicles entering and leaving the zone are read by cameras. The numbers are stored until midnight and then cross-referenced with a list of those cars that have paid the charge for that day.
The fine for driving in the zone without paying is 80 pounds (About US $130). There are no toll booths. Drivers can pay the charge by phone, in person at various locations, online, or by mail. Drivers who frequently drive in the congestion area can choose to pay monthly or annually (They can apply for a refund if they don't actually drive in the zone). If the toll charge is not paid before midnight on the day of the drive, the vehicle's details are sent to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, which issues a penalty notice. Fines are reduced if payment is prompt.
Some drivers are furious about the charges, and all kinds of schemes for defeating the tolls are being conjured up � everything from false number plates to a James bond-like liquid-crystal display plate that fits over the genuine plate, which is still visible. The driver can flick a switch to freeze up the fake plate and obscure the license number. This hi-tech masterpiece costs about 150 pounds.
Pressed for his opinion on the congestion charge, British prime Minister Tony Blair refused to be drawn into the fray. Four years ago he had tried to block Labor candidate Ken Livingstone from running for Mayor, but he dodged a question in parliament by Iain Duncan Smith, the Conservative leader, accusing him of being a "control freak."
�Since we have given the power to local government to charge for congestion, we should let them do it if that is what they wish to do,� Blair stated
Meanwhile, the political scrum over implementation of the charge is in full swing. Some pricey shops in the toll zone are offering to pay the congestion charge for their patrons, bringing accusations that the charges are biased against the less well-off. The grassroots Association of British Drivers has published a list of the chief political "culprits" behind implementation of the charge. It has also published the precise location of the building off Brick Lane in East London that houses the computers that manage information from the 700 cameras monitoring incoming and outgoing traffic.
The association is also organizing a boycott of companies involved in implementing the charges.
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