In one of his biggest decisions since becoming Mayor - competing with the ousting of Ian Blair and the freezing of council tax - Boris Johnson has, as expected, scrapped the westwards extension of Ken Livingstone's congestion charge.
Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers - who differs with the Mayor on an alternative airport to Heathrow - welcomed the Mayor's honouring of West Londoners' views:
"Boris is today honouring an important election pledge to let local people decide on the future of the Western Extension of the congestion charge. Wherever they are in the country, it is always important that local congestion charging schemes are locally driven not forced on people from above. This consultation shows that residents in West London want the extension scrapped and Boris is right to respond to their views."
Boris for PM!
Posted by: GB£.com | November 27, 2008 at 14:42
This was followed by another outburst of Boris-bashing from the London 'News' service of the BBC, with a dash of Ian Blair encomium for good measure.
Well done Boris for doing what you said you would do!
Posted by: CJT | November 27, 2008 at 14:46
I don't drive in central London, so I am hesitant to say whether this is a good/bad thing. But I believe he promised to do it, so am glad to see that he isn't backtracking now that he is in office.
Posted by: Raj | November 27, 2008 at 14:53
Bravo Boris!!
Posted by: Sally Roberts | November 27, 2008 at 15:17
Hoorah: one less green tax. Any of you drones of CCO want to come out and defend the lunacy Dave and Zac used to talk about so much?
Posted by: ACT | November 27, 2008 at 15:36
I had started to think he was going to renege on this. I'm glad he didn't. Well done Boris.
Posted by: Malcolm Dunn | November 27, 2008 at 15:43
You are a Star Boris, and well done.
Posted by: Yogi | November 27, 2008 at 16:09
Boris the Slayer!
Posted by: christina Speight | November 27, 2008 at 16:38
Well done, Boris, for listening and responding to local opinion.
I wish that all councils considering congestion charging were equally responsive to the views of the electors.
Posted by: James Strachan | November 27, 2008 at 17:41
Boris the Wise!
Posted by: YMT | November 27, 2008 at 18:00
Well done for imlementing your pledge.
I don't live anywhere near West London, and so don't have really strong views about it either way, but the fact so many Labour supporters and Kennites were so agitated by the scrapping of the zone proves the idea was motivated by good old envy politics.
Posted by: Cleethorpes Rock | November 27, 2008 at 18:17
Oh my we do love him !!!
A touch of good news on a bad day..India
Posted by: The Bishop swine | November 27, 2008 at 18:19
Boris the bold slayer of injustice.
Posted by: The Bishop Swine | November 27, 2008 at 18:21
I was really worried the London 'slivoviki' (the organs of power that run Russia) had got to him. I live just outside the Congestion Charge area, and very rarely drive into it during working hours (I use the Tube and buses), but it was a politically motivated nonsense. Now get rid of the rest. What little private car traffic there was in the main area was replaced by a 25% increase in taxi / minicab traffic, and according to TfL's own report, no significant reduction in pollution.
Posted by: Sarf Lunnon | November 27, 2008 at 18:38
Sarf Lunnon:
"I live just outside the Congestion Charge area, and very rarely drive into it during working hours... it was a politically motivated nonsense."
I live a couple of hundred miles from the Congestion Charge area, but occasionally I need to travel into or near it carrying the tools of my trade, and it proved (as expected) yet another Buggeration Factor to add to the stress of daily life. On top of the swingeing car-parking fees and the army of yellow-banded vermin aka Traffic Wardens (hello Westminster City Council, goodbye 60 quid) trying to route one's way around the Charge Zone is equally as fretful as attempting to deal on the phone with the dismal, mentally subnormal drones i/c collecting the congestion charge...
I wish the Brits weren't so supine in the face of these fonctionnaires and the vile politicos who create them, then one would stand a chance of rustling up an ad hoc group of citizens to hang some of the bastards from lamp-posts.
Posted by: Malcolm Stevas | November 27, 2008 at 19:21
Congratulations to Boris for ridding West London of this tax on business and particularly so now times are very hard.
What about the rest of the congestion charge please?
Posted by: Lindsay Jenkins | November 27, 2008 at 20:57
If only Boris could do the same to the BBC.
Posted by: Mr Angry | November 28, 2008 at 01:44
Now he should abolish the complete scheme.
Posted by: JS | November 28, 2008 at 14:49
I agree with Lindsay and J S. Why not abolish the entire scheme?
Furthermore, in addition to being a "tax on business", it's a very expensive scheme to administer.
Posted by: Julian L Hawksworth | November 28, 2008 at 15:10