CONGESTIONCHARGEISBENEFICIALFORLONDON.doc

PAGE  PAGE 3 CONGESTION CHARGE IS BENEFICIAL FOR LONDON On February 17, 2003, congestion charge for the privilege of driving has been started in central London. There are many reasons for government made the policy, one of the most important points is, generally, there is too much traffic in central London, especially during the rush hour. After congestion charge has been gone through in central London, it impacted on different aspects in the specific area. For instance, it caused a reduction to traffic accidents and improved the environmental quality (Beraldi, 2007). It even helps the general economic growth. In contrast, it will have some drawbacks for those aspects. This essay will argue that the congestion charge is the most effective and fair method in central London. First of all in this essay, congestion charge is a correct policy and it should be continue in central London will be demonstrated. Secondly, the environment quality and the quality of life to local citizen will be debated. Finally, the general economic growth of congestion charge will be explored. It has been deliberated that congestion charge might not benefit to normal people but for improve the tax receive of government. As Kennedy pointed out (Kennedy, 2003), every drive have to pay charge fee when they entering central London, if someone does not to pay it (￡8), the driver’s license plate number will catch by one of more than 700 video cameras which placed throughout the zone and pass all of information to a computer, it means the driver should pay a huge fine and there is no way to escape. After that, if the driver refuses to pay those fines, the possible consequence is, only half- jokingly, “the city would relentlessly track his car down, clamp it, tow it away and crush it – with or without the driver inside.” However, it has been proved that after congestion charge went through in central London, the number of private cars, vans and trucks coming