Westminster council bids for review of congestion charge;
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• Plans for g5-a-day congestion charges in London could be stalled this week when Westminster City Council finds out if it has been granted a judicial review of the entire plan.
This would force London Mayor Ken Livingstone to hold an Environmental Impact Assessment and a public inquiry into the scheme, which Is scheduled to begin in February 2003.
Westminster argues that his failure to do so until now means that the rights and interests of local people have not been sufficiently considered.
A spokesperson for the council says the decision to seek a judicial review, which could delay the implementation of the scheme by up to eight months, was prompted by a number of letters received from local businesses concerned
about the financial con: quences of the scheme.
Bob Bull, distribution agar at Young's Brewery Wandsworth, supports We minster's decision and hir that Wandsworth Borou Council could be next to seek review. "We have been recei ing vociferous support again the scheme from within ti council," he says.
The Freight Transpo Association describes Was minster's bid for a judiol review as "interesting". promises to "continue to can paign for a complete exemptic of goods vehicle operator from the scheme".
But Transport for Londo remains unmoved. spokesman says: "After takin legal advice we are confider we are going to win."