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Congestion charging: is it working for you?
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London's congestion charging scheme has been up and running for a year but is it bringing benefits for operators?
Jennifer Ball goes back out on the road with Young's Brewery.
Sam:Drivers Allan Todd and Peter James load the truck with beer and wine ready for our journey into the City. We struggle out onto Wandsworth High Street. A year ago when we took this trip we sailed up the road. but now we sit in traffic for 30mins waiting for room to manoeuvre from behind another truck, which has broken down in the middle of the road. "It's more congested here than in the City now. They have also put speed humps the whole way down the road but there are no signs to warn you about them and it's not too much fun when you are in a truck,says James.
91un: We arrive at Vauxhall Cross on the edge of the charging zone the traffic is horrendous. It's taken us almost an hour to travel four miles and we still haven't reached our first drop. James says this is quite common: while traffic has improved in the City, the outskirts have become worse because people try to use Vauxhall Bridge to avoid the charge. Ken Livingstone and Transport for London claim that since its launch 12 months ago congestion charging has cut traffic jams in London by 40% and increased traffic speeds by 20% to 18Iun/h but we see little evidence of this.
9.45am: Lambeth Bridge Road is chock-a-block but James says that this is unusual:"This is exceptional; it's normally very quiet here." We can't see ahead, but when we get to the top of the road we discover the reason behind our delay is that the traffic lights are out and police are directing traffic. We arrive at Fenchurch Street. Our first delivery is up a narrow side street; few members of the public appreciate the difficulties truck drivers have in the City with its narrow streets and pedestrians running across the road. There is just time for a quick cuppa before heading off.
Ilam: We head to Aldgate High Street for our next delivery. Unlike last time we're lucky enough to be able to park in a loading bay: -11's unusual to be able to park here. Most of the road is red-routed so we have to park miles away and walk down the road with barrels of beer.That's one of the major problems for truck drivers in London Anthony Brown, operations manager at Purfleet-based Brocks Haulage, says things haven't improved. "Its a cost we could do without. Traffic may not be as heavy in the City but there is still congestion around the outer ring roads. We have seen no improvement in our productivity; it's just another way of getting money out of us."
Thomas Pountney, transport manager at Barking-based Warton Freight Services, says the after initial problems the scheme seems to have settled down: "In the beginning it was very busy or the phone lines but now you are able to talk to someone if you hay a query. However, congestion charging has cost us E8,500 over the past year —straight off the bottom line. It was obvious from the beginning that it was a money-spinner, and that it would be extended."
Ray Dickson, MD of Croydonbased F Dickson Transport, says that once the initial problems of registering had been resolved the scheme has run smoothly: "While traffic in the centre of London is better, the roads aroun the outskirts of the zone are now clogged up as people try to use alternative routes to avoid paying a fiver. Many of the smaller shops inside the zone have gone into terminal decline and, while this may not have a direct effect on road transport. it is sad that small businesses are not being protected in a professional way by TfL." — there is nowhere to park and the traffic wardens are usually waiting for us," says Todd.
lpm: We have three more drops to do. We head off towards Clerkenwell and then Newington Green. Heading north of the City the traffic seems lighter. Our final delivery is in Epping. Last time we took the M25 but today it was gridlocked because of an accident, so today we opt for the quieter A10. We make our final delivery at Welling Golf Club before heading back to Wandsworth to pick up some gas bottles from a local restaurant:and then back to the brewery.
In May, both Todd and James said that, much as they hated to admit it, congestion charging was working. So what do they think now?
James says: "Congestion charging as a whole has worked in the City. But. while there are fewer cars in the zone, the number of trucks and vans remains the same — they have no choice but to go into the charging zone to make deliveries.Today was not a true reflection of its success because congestion levels were higher than normal."
Todd adds: It is better in the centre but around the outskirts traffic levels appear to be worse as people try to avoid the charge. Road and building works are one of the biggest problems causing congestion. When the charging first began, the Mayor stopped all roadworks and rephrased the lights so that charging appeared to v..,ork." •