News London 2008 Jul-Dec 2008

Comment Campaign for Better Transport deplores decision to abolish the western extension of London congestion charge zone, November 27 topic Parking plans will mean London congestion chaos, Campaign for Better Transport, September 3 According to CBT, "The Olympics site will be surrounded by vast new parking lots." Car travel to the Games themselves is to be discouraged (at least for spectators) but developments at Stratford and the Lower Lea Valley have planning permission for over 11,000 parking spaces. Thousands more have been built or approved at the Royal Docks just to the south. Research by Campaign for Better Transport has revealed that car-dependent development will predominate in most if not all of the major development areas of outer London. This includes the Thames Gateway area of east London where the Government has said that it wants low-carbon, sustainable communities to be built. Campaign for Better Transport notes that developments with large car parks are being approved despite policies to reduce the need to travel by car, and to promote walking, cycling and public transport. "Parking on this scale is more like Los Angeles in the 20th century than London should be in the 21st. If we want to tackle congestion and climate change we will need to be much more serious about controlling parking. These developments are being planned as though people had never heard of global warming. We need much more car-free development where it’s easy to walk and cycle and public transport is close." Richard Bourn, London Campaigner at Campaign for Better Transport. topic New mayor must do more to tackle climate change, FoE, August 6 Your comment - Contribute via our Forums or a comment type article, or on any article via its talk page - click on 'talk' link at top of page

November 2008

• Monthly mass cycle ride in London not unlawful, law lords rule, November 26 topic

• Ambitious plans to provide a cycle hire scheme in London by May 2010 achievable according to feasibility study, November 18. From May 2010 people will be able to pick up and drop off hire bikes at 400 locations across the nine London boroughs and several Royal Parks that make up London’s zone one travel area. An initial 6,000 hire bikes are expected to generate around 40,000 extra daily cycle trips in central London. London has already seen a dramatic rise in the number of people cycling, with a 91 per cent increase on London’s major roads since 2000. It is estimated that there are now approximately 500,000 cycle journeys a day across London. Transport for London has now invited companies interested in running the scheme to get in touch with them. topic

• Campaign for Better Transport welcomes the Mayor of London's announcement that the Thames Gateway Bridge has finally been cancelled, November 6

• Mayor launches 'Capital Growth' to boost locally grown food in London, November 4

August 2008

• Mayor launches London’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy to prepare London for climate change, August 28 The strategy proposes ‘greening’ the city by improving and increasing London’s greenspaces to keep the city cool in summer, managing flood risk coming from the tributaries to the Thames and surface water flooding from heavy rainfall, encouraging Londoners to use less water and raising public awareness to flood risk. The Mayor’s intention is to publish the public consultation draft of the London Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in 2009. topic

July 2008

• Mayor quashes £25 congestion fee hike. London Mayor Boris Johnson quashes the proposed rise in congestion charge for vehicles deemed high polluters, July 7 topic

• Mayor announces development of ten high-technology 'Low Carbon Zones' across London by 2012 to help to meet the Mayor’s manifesto commitment to make London a low carbon city with a target to slash carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2025, July 3. topic

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