On Feb 19, 10:54 pm, "Mark F" wrote:
Please sign my petition to urge the government to stop Greenwich council
from setting up the congestion charge in the borough of Greenwich.

This charge will not only effect journeys through the centre of
Greenwich, but also users of the Blackwall Tunnel, as the council are
considering making this a toll tunnel.

I have lived in Greenwich for the last 42 years, so I have seen an
increase in traffic during that time, however the politicians would have you
and I believe this is because the number of cars has increased. I am not
so sure of that.

The number of cars has definitely increased. According to the Office
of National Statistics (Social Trends 36: 2006 edition) the proportion
of households in Great Britain without regular use of a car fell from
48% in 1970 to 26% in 2003. The proportion owning one car stayed at
around 44% throughout that period but the proportion with two or more
cars rose from 7% to 30%.

In London car ownership is lower but the rising trend is similar. The
percentage of London households with no car fell from 54% in 1971 to
38% in 2001 (from the Census). People living in London owned 1.51
million cars in 1971 (average 0.55 cars per household) and 2.61
million in 2001 (0.86 cph). In addition a significant proportion of
the cars passing through Greenwich every day will belong to people who
don't live in London including, as you say, users of the Blackwall
Tunnel.