[Gllug] [OT] Times Article on ABD was Fighting a virus

[paul at ma1.se]

Richard Huxton wrote:
> Richard Jones wrote:
>> On Mon, Feb 19, 2007 at 09:08:29PM +0000, John G Walker wrote:
>>> A colleague takes the bus to work. Before the congestion charge was
>>> introduced, it took her an hour to get in. Now it takes twenty minutes.
>>> See  also my post on my experiences with the 27 bus this morning,
>>
>> That's great.  Maybe we should make government policy based on the
>> experience of someone's colleague I heard about on a mailing list.
>>
>> In fact, TfL have admitted that congestion has dropped by just 8%
>> [source: 
>> http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8706352]
>> and they think it may get worse with the zone being expanded.
> 
> I heard this 8% figure on the radio. Does anyone have a reference that 
> would tell me:
> 1. What measure of congestion has dropped 8% - is this number of cars, 
> amount of time spent travelling at less than 10mph, what?
> 2. What was the predicted change in congestion in the same period?
> 

On BBC London News Last night I'm sure Ken was talking about a 4% 
reduction (or aiming for that).

The CC has some anomalies as there is a 90% discount for residents.
So the more the zone is extended the more people can travel into the 
centre and within the zone for 10% of the full charge.

So if the eventually zone extends out into the suburbs, only non 
Londoners will pay the full charge and there will no incentive for 
Londoners who use their cars for commuting to switch to public transport 
or walk/bike it.

Also am I right in thinking Capita has been useless at collecting fines 
and unpaid charges, especially from overseas drivers?

There was a long rant from a guy in the Evening Standard last night 
claiming he could no longer afford to drive his kids into the extended 
zone to school, the distance - a mere 2.5 miles (this apparently 
requiring "two if not three" buses) and how people had bought broom 
cupboards in Kensington to get round it.. hmm

regards


Paul Lee

-- 
Gllug mailing list  -  Gllug at gllug.org.uk
http://lists.gllug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/gllug