Congestion Charging

Following MAG's timely Trafalgar Square Demonstration Ken Livingstone has announced his proposals for congestion and workplace charging in central London and is invited interested persons to submit comments to the following addresses by Friday 22nd September.

As Ken's plans do not specifically exclude motorcycles from the proposed congestion and workplace charging schemes it must be assumed that we will be included, and charged - that is unless we make our views known! Ken repeats the Government's empty promise 'Powered two wheelers could provide an alternative to the car for some people', but is reluctant to encourage further use citing potential safety issues that could arise if there was a significant increase in their use.

And for those of you who think this proposal affects just London - think again! If Ken manages to charge motorcyclists for entering London most other UK local authorities will be tempted to follow suit.

So, to make our views known is imperative that we get as many responses as possible asking for motorcycles to be exempt from these charges, so, if you do not have access to Email, please get your pens and paper out! Please let us know at MAG Central when you have done this so we can monitor and target our efforts to best effect.

Mayor of London (Congestion Charging)
Greater London Authority
Room A401, Romney House
Marsham Street
London SW1P 3PY
Email: congestion@london.gov.uk

This initial discussion will precede formal public consultation on the Mayor's draft transport strategy - which will include proposals on congestion charging - that will take place in early 2001. There will be a further opportunity to comment in the summer of 2001 when a full public consultation will be held on the details of a central London congestion-charging scheme.

Mayor Livingstone is proposing a £5-a-day charge for Central London, with annual discounts for residents, and a £15 charge for heavy vehicles.

The charge would be enforced by digital cameras, with those failing to pay liable for fines of up to £100, and would raise an estimated £200 million.

More details about Ken's plans are on his website

At this early stage the preferred approach is to use the Inner Ring Road as the boundary of the charging area.

Points Ken Should Consider:

Motorcycles and scooters offer consistent, predictable, reliable journey times and, unlike public transport, can transport people from door to door.

40% of London Households do not own a car.

London has the highest level of overnight on-street parking in Britain.

45,000 Londoners already own a moped or scooter.

One third of all moped / scooter owners live in London and the South East.

Among London males aged 25-54, twice as many own small motorcycles (200,000) than own motorcycles over 500cc (95,000)

Moped sales have increased by over 400% since 1995.

Identical journeys are shorter where a motorcycle is used rather than a car; by 40-60% in London and around 33% for commuters from a surrounding county.

Per passenger mile, the energy efficiency of a moped is identical to that of the average bus.

Motorcycles are the only mode to have exceeded their year 2000 accident reduction targets by 60%.

More than two thirds of all motorcycle accidents in London are caused by car driver error, so casualty reduction should target the perpetrator, by better education and enforcement, not the innocent victim.

Motorcycles free up road space and require minimal room to park with less road wear than other modes.

Motorcycles should be exempt from congestion and workplace charges. Motorcycling should be treated in line with public transport, walking and cycling and promoted as a viable alternative.

More than 15,000 people travel to work in central London by motorbike each day. However, there are only 2,200 motorcycle parking spaces with less than 15 of these secure.

-More free parking spaces should be allocated, with security devices available to prevent theft.

Motorcycles should be allowed to use bus lanes as this will remove them from the traffic flow and make them more visible to pedestrians and cyclists.

A long-term transport strategy which includes motorcycles should be developed in conjunction with the users.

It is our intention to deliver a petition to Ken's London office on September 22nd, the consultation closing date, so please get as many the petition forms filled in and returned to Central ASAP.