Manipulating the Congestion 13 June, 2007

During my time as a Hackney councillor the most controversial issue on a pan London level was the Congestion charge. Not only its cost and bumbling incumbency it was just a litany of mishaps and errors. It was a great marker on where you stood as it traversed the established political camps. As Steve Norris was fond of saying “my mates with Chelsea tractors from Kent implore Ken to hike the charge further. They would willingly pay £25+ quid a day for save a few minutes getting in to London, it’s the poor that cannot afford it”. The jury is still out on whether it has and will be an unqualified success if one at all.

What was abundantly clear was the spin, deceit and manipulation that preceded its implementation. Tampering the sequencing of traffic lights and their duration, digging up every conceivable road etc. of course it was initially denied, but London taxi drivers are not often wrong.

So far I have asked a few probing questions, what if any preparations the greater Manchester councils are making. So far I have hot a blank none, I am certain there are some, I just have to amend the trajectory of my fire and I will keep you posted.

Suffice to say even in west London I did not encounter such unanimous hostility to road charging as I have encountered here. I would very much like to hear from you if you have any information or feel the lights are being tampered with.