London’s congestion charge fails to bust up gridlock

When former mayor Ken Livingstone’s £8-a-day congestion charge was passed back in 2003, it was considered to be one of his greatest achievements, and clean air activists across the UK smiled. At first, the new fees did seem to ease the traffic moving through the congestion zone. Now, studies are finding that the measure has actually managed to somehow slow down the pace of traffic through central London.

Here’s the good news: according to London’s transport authorities, about 100,000 fewer cars drive through the

congestion zone each day than before 2003. The poor news: an increase in road work and new pedestrian walkways have slowed down traffic so much that central London is just as congested as it had been before the zone was created. Less cars + more idling = the very model of inefficiency. And, from what we know about idling engines, the fact that vehicles are idling for longer periods kinda makes that a worst case scenario.

[Source] Josh Loposer

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