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Press Release

LONDON'S RETAILERS DEEPLY CONCERNED WITH CONGESTION CHARGE EXTENSION DECISION

30 September 2005

London Retail Consortium (LRC) Chairman, Alastair McKay commented:
"We are very disappointed that the Mayor's announcement today willfully ignores the voice of those who stand to be negatively affected by the Western Extension of the Congestion Charge, particularly large and small retailers. Congestion charging represents a significant cost to retailers who rely on the road network for access to customers, staff, and the delivery of the goods they sell.

"There is a marked difference between the proposed extension and the existing Central Zone, as WEZ is much more heavily dependent on hotels, restaurants and retail. Therefore WEZ has a greater exposure to the sectors that Transport for London identifies as the most likely to be negatively affected by the charge.

"Following the terrorist atrocities in the Capital, we have seen two months of extremely worrying sales figures, compounded by the weak consumer confidence being experienced over the UK as a whole. In light of this, we strongly urge the Mayor to consider delaying the introduction of this scheme if the retail climate does not stabilise.

"In addition, it is imperative that TfL ensures proper mechanisms are in place before the scheme takes effect to independently monitor the impact on business. If a negative effect is identified, the Mayor should not hesitate to scrap the scheme in the best interests of businesses large and small in West London."



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British Retail Consortium

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