Congestion Pricing Plans Polarize London

Although unpopular now, London Mayor Ken Livingston's plan to alleviate central London's congestion is a public health issue.

1 minute read

February 15, 2003, 1:00 PM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


Next week, in an effort to clean it up, the mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, introduces congestion charging. Between 7 00 am and 6 30 pm every Monday to Friday, cars and trucks will pay a £5 daily charge for driving into central London. The system will be enforced by hundreds of closed circuit cameras that will check the licence numbers of cars entering the zone against a database of drivers who have paid the fee. The scheme is based on the simple economic premise that if people have to pay more for car travel they will buy less of it. Schemes in Singapore and Norway have resulted in substantial reduction in traffic... The government's strategy to tackle congestion is to encourage more walking to school through the introduction of school travel plans."

Thanks to Kent Strumpell

Saturday, February 15, 2003 in British Medical Journal

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