Boris Johnson 'to let public decide' on Western Extension Congestion Charge zone

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has announced that a five-week public consultation on the future of the Western Extension Congestion Charge zone will begin in early September.

Anyone with an opinion to share or comment to make on the Western Extension can contribute to the consultation. But Transport for London is particularly keen to hear from local residents, retailers and businesses within or on the borders of the extension.

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, said: "The previous Mayor made the decision to introduce the western extension in the face of overwhelming opposition. Unlike my predecessor, I am going into this with an open mind and this will be a genuine consultation.

"It is high time that politicians listened to the people whom they represent and I am proud to keep the pledge made during my election campaign to hold a further consultation. Londoners can be assured that, whether they stand for or against, this time their opinions will be respected and we will abide by the results.

“The western extension is a massive issue for those that live and work in the west of our city and the consultation is likely to elicit strong views. This is not a referendum, so it won't be limited to a 'do you or don't you want to keep it?'

“Yes, there will be the option to scrap it, but there will also be other options including keeping it and changing certain aspects of it, like whether it should operate all day. But this will be an opportunity for everyone with experience of the extension to tell me whether they want to see it removed, improved or if they are simply unmoved.”

The consultation aims to encourage anyone with comments on the Western Extension to give their views. This includes residents of the Congestion Charging Zone and key stakeholders including retailers and businesses.

Respondents will be able to request a copy of a leaflet outlining the options and containing a questionnaire for responses. Information on the consultation and the options will also be made available on the TfL website, which will also host an electronic version of the questionnaire for responses. Further details on the public consultation will be announced in due course.

An attitudinal survey, factored to match the population of London as a whole, will be carried out at the same time as the public consultation.

The Congestion Charge was introduced on February 17 2003 and extended westwards to cover most of the boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster on 19 February 2007.

The initial consultation will help inform a statutory process that would be necessary if the Western Extension was to be removed or significantly altered.

The statutory process would involve consultation on an amendment to the Mayor’s Transport Strategy and on a variation to the Congestion Charging Scheme Order. Transport for London would then produce a report for the Mayor to inform his final decision on the future of the scheme.