Transport for LondonAppendix 2 - Summary of TfL's progress towards the implementation of the Mayor's Transport Strategy
Skip to navigationPriority A: Reducing traffic congestion
Congestion charging: Traffic congestion has been reduced in and around central London as a result of the central London congestion charging scheme introduced in February 2003. In April 2004, TfL published its Second Annual Impacts Monitoring Report on congestion charging, which highlighted that the scheme has reduced traffic delays by 30 per cent within the charging zone and made journeys to, from and within the zone quicker, easier and more reliable.
Traffic entering the zone during charging hours has reduced by 18 per cent and traffic circulating within the zone has reduced by 15 per cent. On the Inner Ring Road, which forms the boundary of the charging zone, there has been a small increase in traffic and a small reduction in congestion. There is no evidence of systematic increases in traffic outside the charging zone.
Of the 65,000 to 70,000 car trips that are no longer being made to the charging zone during charging hours, between 50 and 60 per cent have transferred to public transport, 20 to 30 per cent now divert around the zone and 15 to 25 per cent have made other adaptations, such as travelling outside charging hours.
Improved transport: The scheme has contributed to better bus and taxi services in central London and improved conditions for business and delivery vehicles.
Together with the additional bus capacity introduced to complement congestion charging, the improved traffic conditions mean that bus passengers in central London are experiencing more reliable journeys, in part through a one-third reduction in 'excess waiting time' at bus stops. More than 29,000 extra passengers are now entering the congestion charging zone in the three hour morning peak period, with many using the new buses and the five new routes specifically introduced as part of the scheme.
Improvements across all modes of transport (buses, Underground, Docklands Light Railway, taxi and private hire, and river services) and programmes to improve conditions for walking and cycling, have assisted in containing congestion in Greater London. Further details of these improvements are given under other priorities.
Reducing congestion: Under the new London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003, London boroughs and TfL have additional responsibility for enforcing traffic restrictions on a decriminalised basis. A major activity during the year has been input to the Traffic Management Act (which received Royal Assent on 22 July 2004) as it progressed through Parliament. This addresses well-founded public concern about traffic congestion, especially that caused by road and street works and other temporary obstructions of the public highway. TfL has been working closely with the boroughs, representative bodies and the Department for Transport in the development of secondary legislation that will follow on from the Act.
In October 2003, TfL consulted with the London Assembly and GLA functional bodies on a draft revision to the Mayor's Transport Strategy to allow a western extension of the central London congestion charging scheme. This was followed in February 2004, with a major 10-week public consultation. (A report on the consultation was given to the Mayor and a revised Transport Strategy published in August 2004. There will be a further opportunity to comment on the detailed scheme proposals at a later stage).
TfL is trialling new technology for road-user charging including an examination of how this could influence road management policy in the future.
The London Traffic Control Centre, working with the joint TfL/Metropolitan Police Transport Operational Command Unit has started to deliver effective real time traffic management and incident management on London's major roads.
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