[*BCM*] London Congestion Charge

[Ethan Woehrling]

>Don't forget that in conjunction with the London Congestion Charge, they moved heavily (although they rapidly discovered not quite heavily enough!) to 1) expand the number of buses and other public transport (funding it through the congestion charge) and 2) a very heavy ad campaign to get people cycling through London. And it did work. 

I think that the bombing of the London Underground also played a part.  If you go to the C+ forum you see that many London commuters name the bombings as a reason why they started cycing.

>Having come back to London after 15 years away, I'm constantly floored by the number of cyclists. Used to be that no one cycled in London, and you'd have to be crazy to do it. Now, they're everywhere, and they're increasing every day. More than half our office cycles to work, and we're smug lawyers - exactly the sort of people you'd never expect to be cycling through London. And because we do it, we've been able to convert other similar people to doing it. Although the fact that it is now costs �8 to drive into London (about $14), even if you don't stop, and a single on the Tube is �3 ($5) to go one way through Zones 1-2, then biking looks a better alternative all the time.

Ah, the terrible effect of having "red" Ken in charge.  


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