Congestion Charge Hike Too High Says Kramer

11.18.00am GMT Tue 7th Dec 2004

Plans to increase the congestion charge by 60% to £8 have been attacked by Susan Kramer at last week's meeting of the Board of Transport for London.

Prospective Parliamentary Liberal Democrat candidate Susan Kramer said "The charge has been remarkably successful in reducing the traffic and jams in central London.

"It has made motorists stop and think before driving into the middle of the city.

"But this has been achieved by building a consensus with the public which Ken Livingstone now threatens with this 60% hike in the charge. There has been no sign of traffic creeping back with the charge set at the current £5 level.

"By bumping the charge up from £5 to £8, the Mayor is giving in to the temptation to raise revenue rather than setting the charge to change people's behaviour. A project that has achieved wide backing, risks falling into disrepute."