Congestion charges

Report: 13
Meeting: Metropolitan Police Authority
Date: 14 September 2000
By: Clerk

Summary

This report considers the Mayor’s Congestion Charging Discussion Paper and seeks members’ agreement to the MPS briefing document as amended by members, forming the basis of a joint MPA/MPS response to the Mayor.

A. Supporting information

1. At the end of July the Mayor circulated to key stakeholders a discussion paper on central London congestion charging. A wider formal consultation process on a congestion charges scheme will commence early next year. A copy of the discussion paper and covering letter is given at Appendix 1.

2. The Metropolitan Police Service and the Metropolitan Police Authority have been included on the list of key stakeholders and have been requested to respond to the Mayor’s proposals by 22 September 2000. The MPS have consulted internally and have provided the MPA with a briefing note on key issues relating to the subject. A copy of the MPS key issues is attached at Appendix 2.

3. At the meeting of the MPA’s Chair’s Co-ordination and Urgency Committee, Members discussed the Mayor’s Draft Transport Strategy and agreed to respond to that document on a joint basis. In considering that document, members highlighted the issues of congestion charges and agreed that a major concern to be referred back to the Mayor was that of the potential conflict between the police and public in the enforcement of congestion charges. In considering their response to the Mayor, members may wish to reiterate this concern.

4. Members may also wish to make the point that some of the funds generated by a congestion charging scheme should be used to support initiatives that reduce crime on public transport and help to reduce the fear of crime amongst the public.

B. Recommendations

1. That members be invited to consider the briefing note from the MPS and advise whether the document with agreed amendments should provide the basis for a joint MPA/MPS response to the Mayor.

C. Financial implications

There are no financial implications.

D. Review arrangements

None

E. Background papers

The following is a statutory list of background papers (under the Local Government Act 1972 S.100 D) which disclose facts or matters on which the report is based and which have been relied on to a material extent in preparing this report. They are available on request to either the contact officer listed above or to the Clerk to the Police Authority at the address indicated on the agenda.

None.

F. Contact details

The author of this report is Cath Kitching, Corporate Performance Analysis Unit.

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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