Green Assembly Member Darren Johnson fears local areas could end up with far more congestion and pollution than the Mayor has previously suggested.
Simon Birkett, Clean Air in London; Alan Haughton, Stop City Airport Campaign; Jenny Bates, Friends of the Earth; Darren Johnson, Green Party Member of the London Assembly. Photograph courtesy of thisislocallondon.
TfL have released new figures to Darren Johnson which show that flows northbound across the Blackwall/Silvertown crossings will increase by 13,000 vehicle movements (in a 12 hour period) each day if no tolls were in place.
In August, a YouGov survey for business group London First showed that only 32 per cent of residents were in favour of currently free crossings like Blackwall being subject to a toll.
Darren Johnson said: “Areas of Greenwich, Newham and Tower Hamlets could end up with a lot more congestion and pollution than the Mayor of London suggested in the public consultation leaflets and displays. Boris Johnson wants to build a four lane tunnel at Silvertown, but is telling everyone that it will function as a two lane tunnel for those drivers who are prepared to pay the tolls. The reality is that any decisions about tolls is subject to a public consultation and whatever is decided by this Mayor could always be changed by a future Mayor.”
“Instead of building new roads which will generate more traffic, the Mayor should be thinking about extra public transport links. London has been growing at the rate of a 100,000 extra people a year for over a decade now, but car traffic has declined by 1% a year during that time. We have kept London moving by increasing capacity on public transport and encouraging people to walk, or cycle more. We need to build on that record of success.”