|

Congestion charge buffer zone survey

attersea MP Martin Linton is conducting a survey among residents of North Battersea on the Mayor’s proposal to extend the congestion charge to Chelsea and Kensington.

He is also consulting on the idea of a ‘buffer zone’ where residents could qualify for discounts despite living outside the congestion charge area.

“Some residents of North Battersea live nearer the shops in the Kings Road than in Clapham Junction and a lot of them take their children to schools across the river. If the Mayor of London decides to go ahead with this extension, they could end up paying a fortune in congestion charges.

“I am trying to find out whether residents support an extension of the zone, whether they would change their travelling patterns as a result, and what they think of a discount for people like them, living on the edge of the zone.

“I will feed all of this information to the Mayor of London. He needs to hear from South Londoners, not just Chelsea and Kensington residents.”

“Fortunately the Mayor has suggested in his consultation document that he might be prepared to allow some residents living just outside the boundaries of the new zone to qualify for residents’ discount so they pay £2.50 a week for entering the zone instead of £5 a day.

“I’m not sure he was thinking of North Battersea and I’m not sure how big a buffer zone he would be prepared to consider, but we’ve got quite a few people living within a quarter mile and half mile radius of the bridges who could make a strong case that it should apply to them.”

Martin Linton MP is conducting the survey in the area of North Battersea that is within half a mile of the proposed zone and has invited local residents to a coffee morning to discuss this and other local issues. It will be held at 11 am in the Crypt of St Mary’s Church, Battersea Church Road, on Saturday 25th September.