The Fifth Annual Impacts Monitoring Report , the latest in a series of annual reports describing the impacts of congestion charging in central London, draws on the most recent data for 2006. As with previous reports in this series, it provides a summary and interpretation of the growing body of evidence and insight from across the monitoring program relating to the central London congestion charging scheme. It makes comparisons with conditions before charging started and, where appropriate, with Transport for London’s (TfL’s) expectations for the scheme before it was launched.

This report also considers the impact of important variations to the original scheme, such as the increase in the daily charge implemented in July 2005. Until July 2005, the congestion charge was a £5 daily charge for driving a vehicle on public roads within the congestion charging zone between 7:00 AM and 6:30 PM, Monday to Friday, excluding weekends and public holidays. Since July 2005 the basic daily charge has been £8, with a discount for monthly and annual payments, and for vehicles registered on the TfL "fleet scheme". Motorists can buy a prepaid weekly, monthly, or annual pass and save 15 percent, or buy a daily pass and pay full price. Residents receive a 90 percent discount; however, motorcycles, licensed taxis, vehicles used by disabled people, some alternative fuel vehicles, buses, and emergency vehicles are exempt.


Transport for London publishes a series of annual reports documenting the impacts of the congestion charging scheme.  Analysis presented in early reports in the series indicated that reduced traffic volumes and improved traffic flow resulting from congestion charging in the central zone led to reductions of 8 percent in Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx), 7 percent in fine particulate matter (PM10) and 16 percent for Carbon Dioxide (CO2), due to traffic in the central charging zone when compared to data from 2002 and 2003, prior to the introduction of congestion charging. The fifth report documents continuing annual reductions in traffic emissions between 5 and 6 percent for NOx and PM10, and slightly less than 1 percent for CO, stemming primarily from improvements in vehicle technology, as there had been no dramatic change in traffic patterns similar to that occuring at the introduction of congestion charging.

Notes

See Also:
Central London Congestion Charging: Impacts Monitoring - Fourth Annual Report, June 2006.
(http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/FourthAnnualReportFinal.pdf)

Central London Congestion Charging: Impacts Monitoring - Third Annual Report, April 2005.
(http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/ThirdAnnualReportFinal.pdf)

Related Benefits Database entry:
Congestion pricing in London decreases inner city traffic by about 20 percent and generates more than £97 million each year for transit improvements.