On Thu, 04 Aug 2005 00:55:40 +0100, Dave Arquati
wrote:

[v. big snip]
The effect of the extended congestion charging zone is anyone's guess -
but it should reduce pollution in the area. In a borough where 50% of
the population have no access to a car and almost three times as many
people travel to work by public transport as by car, the positive effect
of the congestion charge extension (an improvement in bus services) is
likely to be significant..

Not sure why you think that (CC reduce pollution). The major pollution
source in the area is the Westway itself - nice & high up, v. busy,
well outside any future congestion charging. Traffic inside the NKen
roads is significantly lower than the true congestion areas nearby:
Harrow Road meets Scrubs Lane being a classic (not to mention
Harlesden but that could do with banning double and triple parking!) ,
and the Scrubs-Wood Lane traffic is far higher than any traffic fed in
or out of NKen. The only busy road in the area is Ladbroke Road
itself, mostly due to ped crossings and the pinch point of the
junction at the Harrow Road - the bad bit will also be outside the CC
to help the impoverished Sainsbury clan. I think the only gain a
charge would make would be Kensington Church Street frankly, apart
from Ken's pocket.

My source on the pollution numbers is a local freebie paper with some
LonDON input. Westway gets the blame fair and square.

If congestion reduction were the aim, they'd have to address the
Harrow Rd and Scrubs Lane load. If pollution numbers mattered the
Westway is your man (and Edgware Road freeway too). I find the bus
service in the area well above standards in other areas.

--
New anti-spam address cmylod at despammed dot com