Are Congestion Zone a Good Idea?

Authors Avatar

Are Congestion Zones A Good Idea?

By Katja Rackin

In this report I will be finding out whether or not congestion zones are a good idea, using researched data, charts and tables to back up my ideas. The conclusion of this matter relies on how accurate and reliable the information is.

Congestion Zones are used in hope that traffic gets reduced. The mayor of London has recently put congestion zones into place in hopes they will reduce traffic by 15%. The public has to pay £8 when entering congestion zones, however most money raised is used to improve public transport. Critics of the scheme however, say that it is unworkable and unfair. They also claim it will probably lead to more congestion as people try to avoid the charging areas.

Central London has had a dramatic cut in traffic since the introduction of the congestion charge. 40 000 less people are driving through the zone each day as the number of cars entering the zone has dropped by 38%. Since the introduction of congestion charges average speeds have risen considerably. For example: average speeds have risen from 3mph to 7.4 mph and 9.8 mph was the highest average speed on the Embankment. This however is not recent research which could mean that it is slightly unreliable. More recent research therefore, suggests that traffic levels have built up to be closer to pre-charging levels since February 2004. As a result average speeds have fallen. There are however no scientific results to confirm this worrying trend which questions the validity of the information.

Join now!

Many people agree with congestion zones as it reduces traffic and cyclists can now ride easily through central London with dedicated cycle lanes. It is also said to have helped fight pollution, reduce road injuries, increased the number of cyclists and caused more people to turn to public transport, which has also been improved with the money raised from the congestion charges.  There is also facilities for wheelchairs with easy access and a wheelchair space now and a lot of people will happily pay £8 as they say that city tolls are probably the best way to clear the ...

This is a preview of the whole essay