C-charge threat for bikes

Riders could be forced to stump up the £5-a-day congestion charge for going into Central London because figures compiled by Transport For London show bike accident rates have risen across the capital.

In a report by London’s Evening Standard – click here for the full story – the TfL claims the number of riders killed or seriously hurt on London’s busiest roads – red routes and main roads – is up 26 per cent compared to 10 years ago. It acknowledges that bike use has risen 10-15 per cent since the introduction of the £5 a day congestion charging – which bikes are currently exempt from.

But the TfL’s vice chairman Dave Wetzel is quoted as saying: “It isn’t just that the motorcyclists injure themselves – which is bad and needs to be reversed – pedestrians and cyclists stand a higher chance of being injured from motorcycles or scooters than they do from a car. It raises a real question in my mind about our current policies regarding congestion charging and not charging them to come in, and the Thames Gateway Bridge not tolling powered two-wheelers crossing the bridge.”

But figures for the Congestion Zone itself, previously reported by MCN, show the number of bike accidents within the congestion charge zone has fallen 13 per cent, from 368 between March and October 2002 to 320 over the same period last year.

The Evening Standard draws the conclusion that riders are now safer within the zone (where there are less cars) but more at risk as they travel into central London (where there are more cars.)

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