Transport for London (TfL) has brought forward proposals to temporarily widen the scope and level of the Congestion Charge, in accordance with a condition in the UK’s government’s emergency funding agreement.
From 22 June, the Congestion Charge, which covers around 1% of Greater London, will temporarily increase to £15 and operate 07:00-22:00 seven days a week.
The temporary changes aim to reduce traffic in central London and support TfL and mayor of London Sadiq Kahn’s Streetspace programme, which is designed to make walking and cycling safer and essential bus journeys more reliable.
According to TfL, the latest data shows that even with the Congestion Charge back in place and many people still working from home, there are as many cars in the zone as there were before the lockdown began.
Car traffic in the zone in the evenings is reportedly now almost as high as during the day, and at weekends is said to be even higher than during the week.
However, trips taken by car could fall by a third and nitrogen oxide emissions from vehicles fall by up to 11% in these newly charged hours, said TfL.
“The government was absolutely clear that TfL must bring forward proposals to widen the level and scope of the Congestion Charge,” said mayor of London Sadiq Kahn.
“Coronavirus continues to present our city with unprecedented challenges but I am determined to ensure that we emerge from this pandemic with a cleaner, greener and more sustainable transport system.”
Kahn added that Congestion Charge reimbursement schemes have been extended to local authority workers and charity workers providing certain pandemic support services in the zone, as well as to vulnerable NHS patients.
The expanded scheme for NHS patients will come into force on 22 June, with the new reimbursement arrangements targeted at supporting frontline local authorities and charities who are dealing with coronavirus being introduced in the coming weeks and backdated to 22 June.
This is in addition to widening the NHS staff reimbursement and introducing new care home worker reimbursement when schemes were reinstated on 18 May.
Furthermore, changes to the residents’ discount, which is now due to close to new applications on 1 August, have also been made, giving residents who are not currently registered additional time to submit their application.
Alex Williams, TfL’s director of city planning, said: “Our new reimbursement schemes will ensure that those at the heart of the battle against coronavirus or who could be most affected by it can still make essential journeys by car.
“These temporary changes will also help ensure that those who can’t work from home can travel safely and make the city’s recovery from the pandemic sustainable and healthy.”
Over the last few weeks, Streetspace schemes have been completed at 23 locations across the capital with an additional 19,000m2 of space for people walking and cycling created.
According to TfL, data shows that more Santander Cycle hires were made last month than any other May.
To keep up with demand, TfL has set out plans to expand the scheme, including the creation of improved cycling infrastructure to support uptake.
