C-CHARGE TRAFFIC LEVELS DROP FOR NINTH MONTH IN A ROW

12.01.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 1st Jul 2005

Ahead of the rise in the Congestion Charge by 60% that will come into affect from Monday, the London Assembly Liberal Democrats have today revealed new figures that blow a hole in the argument put forward by Mayor Livingstone that the Congestion Charge should be increased.

The figures, obtained by the Lib Dems, show traffic levels have been declining in the existing C-Charge zone for the last nine months and are a further 2% down on the same period last year - demonstrating no need for the 60% price hike.

London Assembly Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson, Geoff Pope, said:-

"Clearly the Mayor is talking nothing but nonsense on stilts. These new figures have blown a massive hole in the Mayor's argument as to why the Congestion Charge should increase from £5 to £8.

"Bob Kiley told Londoners that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, yet these figures show that there is no increase in traffic levels and so no need for any treatment.

"The Mayor should be shouting from the rafters just how successful the existing C-Charge scheme has been in reducing traffic. Instead he has kept silent in the hope that people will think that a price hike is needed when all the evidence shows it clearly is not.

"This 60% price hike increase flies in the face of common sense. It has nothing to do with reducing congestion but everything to do with shoring up Transport for London's rocky finances.

"It is time for the Mayor to come clean with Londoners about his reasons for putting up the Congestion Charge on Monday."

ENDS

Notes to editor

· In the London Assembly Transport Committee hearing on the 8th February 2005, that quizzed Ken Livingstone on the proposed hike in the Congestion Charge from £5-£8, the Mayor said:-

"We got with the existing zone a 15% reduction in traffic. We have here the prospect of taking it between 17%-21%"

This can be found 5 minutes into the webcast:-

Transport Committee - 8 February

· In Transport for London Board Papers discussed on Wednesday 18th May 2005, Agenda Item 5, Page 7, Para 3.20, it states:-

"Congestion Charging -