Central London Congestion Charging Scheme 17 March 2005 Impacts - 9 th Annual Conference Michele Dix Director Congestion Charging Division
Contents 1. The Scheme 2. Impacts 3. Next Steps
The Scheme
Where is the Congestion Charging zone? Central London only
Charge Payment Daily, weekly, monthly or annual payment, for individual vehicle registration number T 123 ABC Flat charge of 5 per day Monday - Friday 7am - 6.30pm Payment available up until midnight, but charge rises to 10 after 10pm
Key Exemptions and Discounts Motorbikes / mopeds Military vehicles Emergency services Taxis and licensed minicabs Disabled persons Buses, coaches and minibuses Certain alternative fuel vehicles Breakdown and recovery vehicles Certain health service workers 90% discount for residents of zone Exempt and 100% discount currently account for 25,000 vehicles a day (23% of total traffic)
Payment channels 5% <1% 14% 30% Retail Outlets Internet Mobile Phone Text Call Centre Call Centre IVR Post 22% Total payment 108,000/day 80,000 @ 5 16,000 Residents @ 0.50 12,000 Fleet Accounts @ 5.50 29%
Payment channels April 2003 - January 2005 40% 30% 20% 10% Retail Web Mobile Text Phone IVR 0% Apr 03 Jul 03 Oct 03 Jan 04 Apr 04 Jul 04 Oct 04 Jan 05
Monthly Valid Charges Average per charging day (excluding fleets) 120,000 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Year to date average of Valid Charges at 95,500 is within 0.1% of the average for 2003 Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2003 2004
Impacts of Congestion Charging
Summary of Impacts Traffic Levels down 18% Congestion down 30% No significant adverse affects outside the zone Public transport improvements Accidents Evidence of continuing decline in central zone Environment Reduction in key pollutants: CO 2, NO x, PM 10 Improvements perceived Business Concern expressed but TfL do not consider Congestion Charging wholly responsible
Congestion levels in the charging zone During charging hours 5 4 3 2 1 0 Jun/Jul 86 Jun/Jul 90 Jun/Jul 94 Jun/Jul 97 Jun/Jul 00 Jan/Feb 02 Mar/Apr 02 May/Jun 02 Jul/Aug 02 Sep/Oct 02 Nov/Dec 02 Jan/Feb 03 Mar/Apr 03 May/Jun 03 Jul/Aug 03 Sep/Oct 03 Nov/Dec 03 Jan/Feb 04 Mar/Apr 04 May/Jun 04 Jul/Aug 04 Travel Rate (min/km) Pre-Charge - Congestion Post-Charge - Congestion Pre- Charge - Nighttime Post-Charge - Nighttime
Total traffic entering the charging zone During charging hours May / Jun 2002 Sep / Oct 2002 Jan-03 Feb / Mar 2003 May / Jun 2003 Sep / Oct 2003 May / Jun 2004 Sep / Oct 2004 200,000 150,000 100,000 Pre-Charge Post-Charge 50,000 0 Cars Vans Lorries & Others Taxis Bus & Coach Motorcycles Pedal cycles
Public transport Public transport continues to cope well Supply meets demand - an extra 14,500 bus places have been provided to charging zone in peak hour to handle 14,000 additional passengers Improved bus reliability: 60% less traffic disruption Improved bus speeds of around 6% Excess bus waiting time reduced by around onethird
Overall changes in people travel Reduced car traffic does not mean significantly reduced people coming to the zone, as most have transferred to other modes Overall congestion charging has led to 5,000 fewer trips per day to the charging zone This is negligible in the context of 1.5m people in the zone per day
Accidents General year on year decrease across London Evidence of an accelerated decline in the charging zone Accidents involving personal injury in the zone March - October 2001 1,137 March - October 2002 1,020 March - October 2003 854 It is still too early to draw firm conclusions but the data is encouraging
Influences on recent business performance 3% 4% 15% 12% 46% Economic factors Tourism factors Company factors Seasonal factors Congestion charge Central Line Other 10% 10% Source: TfL Telephone Business Survey, Autumn 2003
Relationship between overseas tourist visits to the UK and retails sales UK Tourists Visits Central London Retail Sales UK Tourists Spending 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% -10% Oct-02 Dec-02 Feb-03 Apr-03 Jun-03 Aug-03 Oct-03 Dec-03 Feb-04 Apr-04-20% Source: ONS, LRC Retail Sales Monitor
Support for the scheme Prior to the introduction of the London congestion charge public opinion was equivocal After introduction, public opinion shifted decisively in favour of the scheme, with opposition levels falling 02 03 Pre-CC 03 Post-CC 04 Support 40 38 39 57 50 59 48 54 Neither 19 16 18 16 18 15 21 18 Oppose 40 43 41 27 31 24 28 27
Next Steps
Next Steps Improving the existing scheme Extending the scheme western extension Technology Trials to upgrade the existing scheme Long term planning - working towards a national road pricing scheme
Improving Existing Scheme Free days at Christmas Reducing entry level for fleet scheme to 10 vehicles Allowing cars onto the automated scheme More petrol stations Improving the web Improving the signage Promoting the use of SMS Finish charging at 18.00 rather than 18.30 If and when WEZ is introduced Introduction of Automated Pre-Payment scheme As part of re-let of contract
Western Extension
Western Extension Timetable Jan Feb 05 preliminary consultation on a Draft Order with key stakeholders May July 05 full consultation on a Made Order for preferred scheme with public, businesses and stakeholder groups Sept 05 Decision to proceed Feb 07 earliest possible go-live date
Technology Trials
Technology Trials and developments Can GNSS / GPS (satellite positioning), GSM (mobile phone) or DSRC (tag and beacon) Work in London environment? Be accurate and enforceable? Have limited Infrastructure requirements - visual intrusion? Offer more flexible, cost effective charging? Liaising with UK Department for Transport and Customs & Excise and European colleagues
Early Trials results Conclusions GNSS, GSM not likely as affordable solutions in London within next decade Tag and beacon plus cameras / ANPR for charge collection and enforcement possible in London by 2009
Long term planning Working with Government to help promote a national GPS based distance charging scheme, earliest likely implementation date 2015-2020 In the interim, and until satellite technology is suitable for the mass market in built up urban areas such as London, looking to develop schemes in London using tag and beacon
www.tfl.gov.uk