Congestion charging

Report: 09
Date: 3 April 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report provides information about the arrangements put in hand to deal with staffing issues arising from the introduction of congestion charging on 17 February 2003. An oral up-date in relation to the pilot scheme for reimbursement of some congestion charges will be provided at the meeting and if the current level of reimbursement continues the HR Committee will be asked to endorse the continuance of the scheme.

A. Recommendation

That members note the arrangements put in place to deal with the impact on staff of congestion charging and, subject to an oral update report, endorse the continuance of the scheme, subject to a further review of the scheme in October 2003.

B. Supporting information

1. With the introduction of congestion charging on 17 February 2003, concern had arisen within the MPS of its impact on staff:

1. Working shifts or other tours of duty with starting or finishing times when there was limited or no availability of public transport;
2. authorised to use their own vehicles on police business but whose vehicles could not be registered with Transport for London (TfL) for 100% discount because they were not official vehicles for which the MPA was shown as registered keeper; and
3. who commuted by private vehicle to and from work.

2. Management Board, supported by this Committee, decided that a pilot scheme should be operated for the first six weeks after the congestion charge came into operation, whereby the MPS would reimburse the congestion charge for staff at (a) above. Staff at (b) could legitimately reclaim the cost of the congestion charge as a travelling expense (just as they could reclaim a train or bus fare incurred on business travel). The view was taken that staff at (c) decided their own mode of home to work travel and should bear the costs incurred.

3. It was made clear that shift workers included in the pilot scheme would not be able to claim reimbursement during tours of duty when they were on day shifts since public transport was available for those days. It was also made clear that reimbursement would be subject to deduction for tax and National Insurance since the Inland Revenue would deem the journey to be home to office travel with any aspect of the cost reimbursed by the employer being considered to be a taxable benefit.

4. The initial costs of running the pilot – initially assessed at £75,000, would be met from within HR Directorate’s budget.

5. Any extension of the pilot scheme beyond the initial six weeks was not guaranteed and would depend, among other things, on the funds being available to meet the costs.

6. Monitoring the pilot scheme would include information on the number of staff who claimed that their start and/or finish times necessitated using their own vehicles; the total cost of reimbursement of congestion charges; and whether management had made changes to shift patterns or working hours to facilitate travel by public transport.

7. The numbers of staff claiming reimbursement during the first three weeks are set out below.

8. The potential cost shown in paragraph 7 assumes that all staff shown will have worked all five days of each week and will be claiming for each day. It is expected, however, that some will not be claiming for the full week. Hence, the actual cost is likely to be less than the potential cost.

9. The first two weeks might not be typical, since both weeks were half term weeks for most local authorities with many staff having time off. Returns from personnel managers have also indicated that some shift patterns have been changed and these changes will have played a part in the number of claims being at a lower than expected level. Local management is being encouraged to consider whether changes to shift patterns or start and/or finish times would overcome any problems being faced by staff in travelling to and from work by public transport.

10. In addition to changes to shift patterns that have already either been introduced and are being considered, other avenues that might assist staff have been explored. For instance, the trade unions suggested that an interest free loan be made available to staff who wish to purchase motorcycles or bicycles as an alternative means of transport. This suggestion was not pursued pending the review of the pilot scheme. We shall also be re-considering what scope there might be for providing minibus services from strategic points at the boundaries of the congestion charging zone to main HQ buildings and police stations in the zone. We shall be consulting the TfL Travel Awareness Team in this respect, though previous consideration of this has proved unviable.

11. The pilot scheme will be formally reviewed after four weeks of operation, i.e. in the week commencing 17 March, so as to be able to finally conclude before the expiry of the six weeks of the scheme that it should continue.

12. The reimbursement arrangements and the estimated costs would again be subject to review in the event of a firm proposal to extend the congestion charging zone to cover the whole of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. A verbal update will be given to the Committee on the outcome of the pilot scheme, which is due to end on 28 March 2003. If the current level of reimbursement continues it is proposed that the scheme continues and the MPA HR Committee will be asked to endorse that decision.

C. Equality and diversity implications

To date, no equality or diversity issues have arisen as a result of the pilot scheme.

D. Financial implications

These have been set out in this paper. If it is decided that reimbursement of congestion charges should continue for the staff set out at (a) of paragraph 1 above, an indication of the annual costs will be provided at the meeting. The estimated annual costs would need to be adjusted if the congestion charge zone is extended. There is no specific budget available for these costs and any additional costs would have to be contained within existing budgets.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author: Michael Shurety, Director of HR Services, MPS

For more information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback