Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director, Environment.

The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Environment setting out a proposed response from the City Corporation to the TfL Congestion Charge Consultation.

A Member stated that she was totally in favour of the response generally but questioned the strength of the City’s proposed submission on weekend charging. She argued that the case around charging on Sundays could be strengthened and questioned whether the proposal to reduce the charging period by just one hour to 17:00 would be helpful to those wishing to travel into the City and worship for example.

Another Member seconded this and questioned whether it might be possible to get a cross-borough response along these lines.

A third Member was also supportive of this and also commented that he thought that a 12:00 start would also discourage worshipers from using the City churches, many of whom were elderly and had to travel by car. He also suggested that it might be helpful to seek feedback directly from the churches on this matter.

Another Member stated that residents and families wishing to visit them in the City would also be adversely affected by these proposals and he too agreed that the proposed response at paragraph 8.e. of the report really needed to be strengthened. He suggested that charging on Sundays per se was not acceptable.

Other Members agreed with the view that Sundays should be free of charge. It was, however, noted that other faiths worshipped on other days and that there was a large synagogue in the City.

A Member argued that the plea to reduce the hours of charging by one hour in the afternoon did not feel like a sensible proposal and questioned the rationale behind this.

Another Member suggested that the City should not support the congestion charge at weekends per se, underlining that she felt that it would be difficult to justify no charge on Sundays due to church worshipers when there were others that met on a Saturday for example. This matter aside, the Member went on to argue that she felt that the City should be taking a more holistic view, stressing that it was not yet clear how the expanded ULEZ charge zone might contribute to reducing traffic volume in central London. She stated that she felt that charging at weekends at this stage was therefore premature  and that there was not yet enough evidence to support or justify this. The Member underlined that the City wanted businesses to bounce back from the pandemic, wanted tourists to return and have a 24/7 cultural destination. The Member went on to state that the charge would be unaffordable for some, particularly those with older, polluting vehicles who would also be subject to the ULEZ charge.

The Chair summarised that the Committee were strongly of the view that the City’s response on weekend and Bank Holiday charging needed to be strengthened and the principle of these proposals questioned. He recognised that TfL had previously requested evidence from consultees as to how this would affect the economy  which could often be difficult to provide and quantify.

Officers reported that views had been sought from various faith groups as to the effect that these proposals would have on attendance to worship. They added that the 12:00-17:00 example included within the committee report was to reflect attendance at evening services one Sundays. Given the views shared today, Officers accepted that the response on this could be stronger with a suggestion that the Sunday charge be removed entirely and reduced hours be operated on a Saturday. It was suggested that the wording be amended accordingly before a formal response was submitted to Transport for London at the end of October 2021.

The Chair noted that paragraph 8. e., as currently drafted, referenced the effect on places of worship on Sundays but, as already noted by several Members today, some places of worship were not used at weekends only and asked that this be amended accordingly to reflect this.

RESOLVED – That the Committee grant delegated authority to the Executive Director, Environment to approve the final wording of the submission to Transport for London with the Chair and Deputy Chairman of the Planning and Transportation Committee and the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee.