Login



New users register here

Congestion Charge Campaign

This year’s AAD delegates proposed a campaign to secure congestion charge exemption for train drivers who are only entering the payment Zone to provide a public transport system. Specifically, the aim is to ensure that drivers are not penalised for moving into or out of city centres because they are on early or late turns.

WHAT WE WANT

To ensure that train drivers are exempted from paying the congestion charge when they drive into cities to provide a public transport system. Specifically this involves drivers who cannot get safe public transport in or out of the city because they are either driving the first or last trains of the day.

WHY WE WANT IT

The AAD motion

  • noted the proposed expansion of congestion charging and road pricing; and
  • instructed the Executive Committee to consult with all relevant affected authorities to exempt from such charging all staff who are required to attend and get home at such hours where no rail transport services is available.

In the debate it was stressed that drivers of both sexes can face dangerous journeys from and into the city when trains are not available. Even 24-hour buses don’t cover a wide enough area; so many train drivers have no choice but to drive their cars to work. In a year congestion charges can cost a driver up to £1,000

NOT JUST A LONDON ISSUE

Apart from the capital, 7 areas - Durham, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Tyne and Wear, Shrewsbury, Cambridgeshire and Bristol – were given government funding in 2005 to look at road charging.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone doesn't want to extend the Congestion Charge area in any further because he thinks that the government will shortly be moving towards a national road pricing system

CURRENT CONGESTION CHARGE REGULATIONS

Currently within London the area covered by the charge is the 'Inner Ring Road' which links Euston Road, Pentonville Road, Tower Bridge, Elephant & Castle, Vauxhall Bridge Road, Park Lane and Marylebone Road. On 19 February 2007 the zone was extended to the west to cover the areas of Bayswater, Notting Hill, North and South Kensington, High Street Kensington, Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Belgravia and Pimlico.

The charge (of £8) between 0700 am and 1800 from Monday to Friday with the exception of Bank Holiday and the period between Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

WHO DOESN’T PAY?

Exemptions from the discounts currently are

  • Disabled people, or institutions for disabled people, who hold a Blue Badge (formerly known as Orange Badge)
  • Residents Living within the congestion charging zone
  • Drivers of alternative fuel vehicles
  • Motorcycles 1 meter or less in width and 2 meters or less in length
  • Accredited breakdown organizations
  • Drivers of electronically propelled vehicles
    Patients who are clinically assessed as being too ill to travel to an appointment on public transport.
  • NHS staff and fire-fighters may also be able to claim a reimbursement of the Congestion Charge from their employers for certain operational journeys undertaken as part of their work –but this does not include driving to and from work.
  • Also exempt are two-wheelers, taxi and emergency services vehicles.

PLACING THE CLAIM

The executive is progressing the claim on two fronts:

  • Seeking exemption from the office of the Mayor.

When the issue was raised with the London Mayor in 2003, he expressed some sympathy with situation, but took the view that the union should approach the relevant employers. There may be other ways we can approach the Mayor on the issue, especially as he is seeking later train-running hours on the tube.

  • Seeking recompense from employers

The executive are going to ask company council reps to make this claim to their employers – especially as it will effectively reduce the take-home pay of our members if they are liable for the congestion charge.

Immediate approaches will only be made in London, as it is the only city with a congestion charge currently – but the union is aware that whatever is achieved in the capital will set a precedent for other cities as they set up their own systems.