Editing London congestion charge (section)

=== Preparing for the Western Extension ===
In August 2004, following Livingstone's re-election, the results of the consultation on the Western Extension were published which showed that a substantial majority of respondents did not want the extension;<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4296968.stm |title= Congestion Charge Zone to expand |work=BBC News |date=30 September 2005 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418193833/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4296968.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> however, Livingstone said he was going ahead and that the polls were a "charade" which did not diminish his electoral mandate. "A consultation is not a referendum" he said.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-135899600 |title=C-charge consultation is charade, admits Ken |first=Katharine |last=Barney |work=London Evening Standard |date=7 December 2005 |access-date=26 May 2007}}{{dead link|date=October 2012}}</ref> Protests continued against the extension,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4488363.stm |title=Go-slow protest over road charge |work=BBC News |date=27 April 2005 |access-date=24 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418194810/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4488363.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> with residents arguing that only 5% of the road space in the selected area was congested.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6371553.stm |title=Leafy Kensington shows its anger |first=Finlo |last=Rohrer |date=17 February 2007 |work=BBC News |access-date=23 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418194924/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/6371553.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> Following on in May 2005 a further TfL consultation began with specific proposals about the extensions. These included a plan to reduce the operating hours of the charge by half-an-hour to "boost trade at London's theatres, restaurants and cinemas".<ref>{{Cite press release |publisher=[[Transport for London]] |title=Public Consultation on detail of proposed extension to congestion charging zone begins |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/4052.aspx |date=9 May 2005 |access-date=28 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001001835/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/4052.aspx |archive-date=1 October 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4529009.stm |title=Charge zone times could shorten |work=BBC News |date=9 May 2005 |access-date=11 October 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418195531/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4529009.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In October 2004, TfL stated that only seven of the 13 government aims for London transport would be met by 2010. The target on reducing congestion for [[Greater London]] overall will not be met, the report said.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3958931.stm | title=Road toll 'fails to cut traffic' |work=BBC News |date=27 October 2004 |access-date=8 April 2006}}</ref>

By November 2004, Livingstone directly contradicted his belief that the charge would not be raised, saying: "I have always said that during this term [his second term in office] it will go up to at least £6."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3973157.stm |title=Road toll up by 'at least £1' |work=BBC News |date=1 November 2004 |access-date=8 April 2006}}</ref> By the end of the month, Livingstone announced that, in fact, the rise would be to £8 for private vehicles and £7 for commercial traffic. Business groups such as [[London First]] said following the announcement that the charges were "totally unsatisfactory and unacceptable".<ref>{{Cite news |first=Roger |last=Blitz |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5a399a64-4340-11d9-bea1-00000e2511c8.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5a399a64-4340-11d9-bea1-00000e2511c8.html |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Congestion charge rise to £8 planned by London mayor |work=Financial Times |publisher=The Financial Times Ltd |date=1 December 2004 |access-date=8 April 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4054711.stm |title=Congestion charge may rise to £8 |work=BBC News |date=30 November 2004 |access-date=8 April 2006}}</ref> The rise to £8 was announced formally on 1 April 2005, along with discounts for drivers buying month or year-long tickets.<ref name="bbc20050401">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4399059.stm |title=Congestion charge increases to £8 |work=BBC News |date=1 April 2005 |access-date=25 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418195810/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4399059.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |publisher=[[Greater London Authority]] |date=1 April 2005 |title=Congestion charge to increase to £8; fleet and regular users to receive discounts |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=4988 |access-date=25 November 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080618183023/http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=4988 |archive-date=18 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> On 10 May 2006, in a live TV debate, Livingstone supported a rise in the charge to £10 by 2008.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4760185.stm |title=Anger at '£10 congestion charge' |work=BBC News |date=11 May 2006 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418200314/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4760185.stm |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

A report in May 2005 stated that the number of shoppers had declined by 7% year-on-year in March, 8% in April and 11% in the first two weeks of May. TfL countered that an [[economic downturn]], the [[Progress of the SARS outbreak|SARS outbreak]] and threat of terrorism were likely factors. At the same time, a [[London Chamber of Commerce]] report indicated that 25% of businesses were planning on relocation following the charge's introduction.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-5007517-details/Congestion+charge+hammers+shops/article.do |title=Congestion charge hammers shops |first=Richard |last=Allen |work=London Evening Standard |date=27 May 2003 |access-date=26 May 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606062246/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-5007517-congestion-charge-hammers-shops.do |archive-date=6 June 2011  }}</ref> However, an independent report six months after the charge was implemented suggested that businesses were then supporting the charge. London First commissioned the study which reported that 49% of businesses felt the scheme was working and only 16% that it was failing.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2003/aug/18/londonpolitics.greaterlondonauthority |title=Business backs congestion charge |date=13 August 2003 |first=Andrew |last=Clark |access-date=26 May 2007 |work=The Guardian |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418200541/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2003/aug/18/londonpolitics.greaterlondonauthority |archive-date=18 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Fourth Annual Review by TfL in 2004 indicated that business activity within the charge zone had been higher in both [[productivity]] and [[Profit (accounting)|profitability]] and that the charge had a "broadly neutral impact" on the London-wide economy.<ref name="tfljune2006">{{cite web |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/FourthAnnualReportFinal.pdf |title=Impacts Monitoring – Fourth Annual Report |publisher= [[Transport for London]] |date=June 2006 |access-date=29 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429042848/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/FourthAnnualReportFinal.pdf |archive-date=29 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Fifth Annual Review continued to show the central congestion zone outperforming the wider London economy.<ref name="tfljune2007" />

In May 2005, businessman Miguel Camacho set up fivepounds.co.uk (referring to the then-current pricing), whose sole function was to sign up private drivers to their "fleet", thus offering the convenience of not having to pay the charge pro-actively, avoiding fines in the case of a forgotten journey and also potentially getting a "free journey" if undetected by the cameras. TfL moved quickly to quash the loophole, by demanding that fleet operators provide the [[vehicle register|registration document]] for each vehicle in their fleet. Fivepounds went out of business on 26 February 2006.<ref>{{Cite news |first=David |last=Williams  |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tfl-changes-rules-to-stop-c-charge-fleet-scheme-7083200.html |title=TfL changes rules to stop C-charge 'fleet' scheme  |work=London Evening Standard |publisher=Associated Newspapers Limited |date=9 May 2005 |access-date=28 September 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004060117/http://www.standard.co.uk/news/tfl-changes-rules-to-stop-c-charge-fleet-scheme-7083200.html |archive-date=4 October 2015}}</ref>

The June 2005 increase in charges by 60% only resulted in a relatively small rise in revenues, as there were fewer penalty payments. The anticipated start-up costs of the Western extension were £125&nbsp;million with operating costs of £33&nbsp;million; expected [[gross revenue]]s were expected to be £80&nbsp;million, resulting in [[net revenue]]s of £50&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/wez_EconomicIA.pdf  |title=Congestion Charging: Proposed Western Extension Public Consultation Economic and Business Impact Assessment |date=April 2005 |author=[[Transport for London]] with GLA Economics |publisher=[[Transport for London]] |pages=9, 10 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630150201/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/wez_EconomicIA.pdf |archive-date=30 June 2007}}</ref>

In 2005, the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] claimed that Capita had been fined £4.5&nbsp;million for missing the targets set for the congestion charge, that was equivalent to £7,400 for every day that the charge had existed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Capita fined £4.5&nbsp;million for missing C-Charge targets |date=8 March 2005 |publisher=Liberal Democrats |url=http://glalibdems.org.uk/en/article/2005/0016957/capita-fined-4-5million-for-missing-c-charge-targets |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422171725/http://glalibdems.org.uk/en/article/2005/0016957/capita-fined-4-5million-for-missing-c-charge-targets |archive-date=22 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

At the end of September 2005, London Mayor Ken Livingstone confirmed the western expansion of the congestion charge, which came into effect on 19 February 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/congest/western-extension.jsp |title=Congestion Charging Western Extension | publisher=[[Greater London Authority]] |access-date =8 April 2006|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060410231123/http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/congest/western-extension.jsp |archive-date = 10 April 2006}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |first=Ben |last=Webster |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1805811,00.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110604130223/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1805811,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 June 2011 |title=Livingstone takes charge zone farther west despite opposition |work=The Times |location=UK |publisher=News International Limited |date=1 October 2005 |access-date=9 April 2006 }}</ref> It was expected that the extension would increase congestion in the zone by around 5% as the 60,000 residents in the new zone will be entitled to the discounts available.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/capitals-congestion-charge-area-extended-437008.html |work=The Independent |title=Capital's congestion charge area extended |first=Peter |last=Woodman |date=19 February 2007 |access-date=26 May 2007 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100430055557/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/capitals-congestion-charge-area-extended-437008.html |archive-date=30 April 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Several roads were also to be left charge-free between the original zone and the extension.<ref name="bbcextfeature">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2006/10/30/westernextention_feature.shtml |title=The Western Extension |publisher=BBC London |access-date=23 November 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6368957.stm |work=BBC News |date=19 February 2007 |title= Congestion Charge Zone increases |access-date=23 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422170430/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/6368957.stm |archive-date=22 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2005, ''[[The Guardian]]'' obtained documentation under the [[Freedom of Information Act 2000]] which showed that out of 65,534 penalty tickets issued to non UK-registered vehicles, only 1,993 had been paid.<ref name="guardian20050315">{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2005/mar/15/londonpolitics.freedomofinformation |title=TfL axes C-charge debt collection agency |work=The Guardian |date=15 March 2005 |access-date=6 January 2008 |first=Andrew |last=Clakr |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422170611/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2005/mar/15/londonpolitics.freedomofinformation |archive-date=22 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

TfL ran a six-month trial of "tag and beacon" (transponder) from February 2006 to replace the camera-based system. This uses an electronic card affixed to the [[windscreen]] of a vehicle and can be used to produce "smart tolls" where charges can be varied dependent on time and direction of travel. This system automatically deducts the charge so that the 50,000 drivers a year who forget to pay the fine would not be penalised. TfL has suggested that this scheme could be introduced from 2009.<ref name="wasted">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/5098642.stm |title=C-charge plans 'will waste £166m' |work=BBC News |date=11 February 2003 |access-date=27 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429065433/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/5098642.stm |archive-date=29 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Electronic tags for cars as congestion charge spreads out |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article733481.ece |work=The Times |date=22 February 2006 |first=Ben |last=Webster |access-date=27 May 2007 | location=London}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Shortly before it was introduced, the [[Centre for Economics and Business Research]] (CEBR) predicted that the West London extension would cause 6,000 job losses.<ref>{{Cite news |title= Congestion charge: Green lobby hails road-toll extension |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/congestion-charge-green-lobby-hails-roadtoll-extension-437070.html |first=Barrie |last=Clement |date=20 February 2007 |access-date=26 May 2007 |work=The Independent |publisher=Independent News and Media Ltd | location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206021811/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/congestion-charge-green-lobby-hails-roadtoll-extension-437070.html |archive-date=6 December 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> This was later contested by the Greater London Authority economist unit in a report, arguing the CEBR results were "unfounded".<ref>{{Cite news |title= Comments on CEBR's report on the western extension of the congestion charge |url=https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/gla_migrate_files_destination/current_issues_note_6.pdf |first=Barrie |last=Clement |date=20 February 2007 |access-date=2 March 2020 |work= GLA Economists| location=London}}</ref>