Petition the Extension of Congestion Charge

The Issue

The extension of the CONGESTION CHARGE to the North and South Circular Roads will certainly negatively impact everyone that live in the proposed area, on the borders and our visitors.

As if people aren't struggling enough after the hit of the governments lock downs and shutdowns this year, causing major job losses. They now propose to extend congestion charge so it covers the same area as ULEZ. 

You ask what this means for you?

Well, not only will your car have to comply with ULEZ standards:

- Euro 3 for motorcycles, mopeds, motorised tricycles and quadricycles (L category)
- Euro 4 for petrol cars, vans, minibuses and other specialist vehicles
- Euro 6 for diesel cars, vans and minibuses and other specialist vehicles
-Euro VI for lorries, buses and coaches and other specialist heavy vehicles

Basically if you own a petrol car older than Jan 2005 (Euro 4 ) you will have to pay. If you own a motorcycle non Euro 3 compliant or first registered before July 2007 you will have to pay. If you own a diesel car not Euro 6 compliant (registered before Sept 2014 ) you will have to pay. 

These standards have forced many of us to buy a different car in a current economy where peoples finances are struggling. Making us give up our older cars which we have had for 20 years and ran perfectly for a compliant care which we really couldn't afford to buy. 

On top of all this! They now want to extend congestion charge meaning that regardless of the car you drive or how far your traveling you will pay £15 per day just go about your normal routine. Congestion charge runs from 7am till 10pm Everyday! 

Traveling to work 5 days a week will cost on average £4000. Who can afford this. Working just to pay travel. 

The only congestion charge exemptions are below:

- Two-wheeled motorbikes (and sidecars) and mopeds

- Emergency service vehicles, such as ambulances and fire engines, which have a taxation class of 'ambulance' or 'fire engine' on the date of travel

- NHS vehicles that are exempt from vehicle tax

-Vehicles used by disabled people that are exempt from vehicle tax and have a 'disabled' taxation class

-Vehicles for more than one disabled person (for example Dial-a-Ride) that are exempt from vehicle tax and have a 'disabled' taxation class. 

Im pretty sure that 95% of residents and commuters fit don't into any of the above exemptions.

Not even private taxis such as uber or bolt are exempt meaning their prices are likely to increase to cover their costs. 

This is going to make everything harder for everyone. The elderly who rely on their car for shopping or hospital appointments will now have to get a bus. Limiting their amount of shopping, increasing their exposure to germs and bacteria, and making buses more crowded. 

Parents on the school run won't be able to use their car, having to collect all their children on the bus. Once again causing overcrowding and virus exposure.

On bank holidays, strikes and bad weather when bus services are reduced how we will be able to cope with extremely overcrowded buses. Especially if there still limit capacity. 

Ask yourself these questions?

- Can you afford to pay more money for your car travel on top of your Tax, insurance, MOT, petrol and repairs? 

- Can you afford to pay more to get an uber or bolt to your destination? 

- Do you want to get onto a bus or train that is more full than they currently are? (especially with current restrictions). TFL havent taken any steps to cope with an increase in public transport during this time. 

- Do you want your visitors to have to pay to come see you? 

- Do you to pay to visit your friends, family or even local attractions? 

- Do you think its fair? 

If you answered NO to any of the above questions SIGN THIS PETITION. 

I plead with you all to sign this petition. To get this in front of the Mayor of London and the government. To make them think of the people instead of their pockets for once.  This is only being implemented as a bail out for TFL. Nothing about this new congestion charge area is in benefit for the residents or visitors to London. WE DO NOT WANT OR NEED THIS.

Please share this, whether you live in London, on the borders or no where near. If this impacts one it will impact ALL. 

P. S Along with this proposal the government is also making the mayor increase public transport fares, make children pay for travel and get rid of freedom passes. This will not stop unless we stop them. Future congestion charge and ULEZ is going to reach the M25 If we don't stop the area extension now. 

avatar of the starter
Lucy NorrisPetition Starter
Media enquiries

164,730

The Issue

The extension of the CONGESTION CHARGE to the North and South Circular Roads will certainly negatively impact everyone that live in the proposed area, on the borders and our visitors.

As if people aren't struggling enough after the hit of the governments lock downs and shutdowns this year, causing major job losses. They now propose to extend congestion charge so it covers the same area as ULEZ. 

You ask what this means for you?

Well, not only will your car have to comply with ULEZ standards:

- Euro 3 for motorcycles, mopeds, motorised tricycles and quadricycles (L category)
- Euro 4 for petrol cars, vans, minibuses and other specialist vehicles
- Euro 6 for diesel cars, vans and minibuses and other specialist vehicles
-Euro VI for lorries, buses and coaches and other specialist heavy vehicles

Basically if you own a petrol car older than Jan 2005 (Euro 4 ) you will have to pay. If you own a motorcycle non Euro 3 compliant or first registered before July 2007 you will have to pay. If you own a diesel car not Euro 6 compliant (registered before Sept 2014 ) you will have to pay. 

These standards have forced many of us to buy a different car in a current economy where peoples finances are struggling. Making us give up our older cars which we have had for 20 years and ran perfectly for a compliant care which we really couldn't afford to buy. 

On top of all this! They now want to extend congestion charge meaning that regardless of the car you drive or how far your traveling you will pay £15 per day just go about your normal routine. Congestion charge runs from 7am till 10pm Everyday! 

Traveling to work 5 days a week will cost on average £4000. Who can afford this. Working just to pay travel. 

The only congestion charge exemptions are below:

- Two-wheeled motorbikes (and sidecars) and mopeds

- Emergency service vehicles, such as ambulances and fire engines, which have a taxation class of 'ambulance' or 'fire engine' on the date of travel

- NHS vehicles that are exempt from vehicle tax

-Vehicles used by disabled people that are exempt from vehicle tax and have a 'disabled' taxation class

-Vehicles for more than one disabled person (for example Dial-a-Ride) that are exempt from vehicle tax and have a 'disabled' taxation class. 

Im pretty sure that 95% of residents and commuters fit don't into any of the above exemptions.

Not even private taxis such as uber or bolt are exempt meaning their prices are likely to increase to cover their costs. 

This is going to make everything harder for everyone. The elderly who rely on their car for shopping or hospital appointments will now have to get a bus. Limiting their amount of shopping, increasing their exposure to germs and bacteria, and making buses more crowded. 

Parents on the school run won't be able to use their car, having to collect all their children on the bus. Once again causing overcrowding and virus exposure.

On bank holidays, strikes and bad weather when bus services are reduced how we will be able to cope with extremely overcrowded buses. Especially if there still limit capacity. 

Ask yourself these questions?

- Can you afford to pay more money for your car travel on top of your Tax, insurance, MOT, petrol and repairs? 

- Can you afford to pay more to get an uber or bolt to your destination? 

- Do you want to get onto a bus or train that is more full than they currently are? (especially with current restrictions). TFL havent taken any steps to cope with an increase in public transport during this time. 

- Do you want your visitors to have to pay to come see you? 

- Do you to pay to visit your friends, family or even local attractions? 

- Do you think its fair? 

If you answered NO to any of the above questions SIGN THIS PETITION. 

I plead with you all to sign this petition. To get this in front of the Mayor of London and the government. To make them think of the people instead of their pockets for once.  This is only being implemented as a bail out for TFL. Nothing about this new congestion charge area is in benefit for the residents or visitors to London. WE DO NOT WANT OR NEED THIS.

Please share this, whether you live in London, on the borders or no where near. If this impacts one it will impact ALL. 

P. S Along with this proposal the government is also making the mayor increase public transport fares, make children pay for travel and get rid of freedom passes. This will not stop unless we stop them. Future congestion charge and ULEZ is going to reach the M25 If we don't stop the area extension now. 

avatar of the starter
Lucy NorrisPetition Starter
Media enquiries

The Decision Makers

Sadiq Khan
Sadiq Khan
Mayor of London
Responded
“Dear Petitioner, The Mayor has rejected the Government’s proposal that the Congestion Charge be extended to the North and South Circular roads in October 2021. This was a condition that the Government tried to impose in return for the second round of emergency Government funding for TfL. This funding was necessary because TfL’s fare income has collapsed due to Covid-19. Under the Government’s proposal, the £15 Congestion Charge would have been extended to the North and South Circular Roads next year, meaning that all journeys across the North and South Circular roads and journeys within that area would have been subject to the charge within operating hours. It would have hit four million more Londoners hard and put economic recovery from Covid-19 at risk before it had begun. The Mayor is pleased that the Government has now backed down from this condition. In the face of continued Covid-19 restrictions, the Mayor has now reached a funding deal to keep tube, bus and other TfL services running until March 2021. Extending the Congestion Charge in this way was only one of several conditions the Government sought to impose in order for TfL to receive the further emergency funding it needs to keep the network running. Others included removing free travel for under-18s and over-60s and increasing fares by more than the previously agreed RPI+1 per cent. These proposals have also been successfully defeated, although it was a condition of the funding that fares would have to go up by RPI+1 in January. Whilst the deal reached is not ideal, the Mayor fought hard against the Government, which was determined to punish Londoners with higher costs for doing the right thing to tackle Covid-19. The only reason TfL needs Government support is because its fares income has almost dried up since March, as people did what was asked of them and stayed at home. It should be noted that the Congestion Charge is different to the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charge. At present, the ULEZ charge currently applies to the same area as the Congestion Charge in central London and is specifically designed to clean up London’s toxic air and deliver health benefits to Londoners. It is due to be expanded in October of next year to the North and South Circular but the charge will only apply to highly polluting vehicles. TfL modelling shows that only 1 in 5 vehicles will need to pay this charge. This is due to the fact that all other vehicles that travel in this area are compliant with the ULEZ emissions standards. If you want to check whether your vehicle meets the ULEZ standard you can do so using TfL’s vehicle checker. If you are on a low income or are disabled, the Mayor also has a Car and Motorcycle Scrappage scheme, whereby you could receive up to £2000 to scrap your older, polluting vehicle, so that you can purchase a cleaner vehicle and meet the standards or switch to another mode of transport. You can check your eligibility for this scheme on TfL’s scrappage scheme webpage. The ULEZ scheme is specifically designed to clean up London’s toxic air and deliver health benefits to Londoners. I hope this reassures you that the Mayor has succeeded in defeating the Government proposal to extend the £15 Congestion Charge to the North and South Circular roads next year. Yours sincerely Public Liaison Unit Greater London Authority”
Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Prime Minister

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Petition created on 17 October 2020