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New Congestion Charge might increase CO2 emissions by 182,000 tonnes
By Yoann Besnard on 9 April 2008 | 
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Porsche goes a step further in challenging the Congestion Charge by unveiling the conclusion of a report from King’s College never publicly released by Transport for London. The report reveals that new emissions-related congestion charge is estimated by TfL’s own consultants to increase CO2 in Greater London by 182,000 tonnes.
The report prepared for TfL by King’s College London’s ‘Environmental Research Group’ uses models to assess the impact of the new charge on emissions and its results show that the new charge is predicted to create a “very high disbenefit” not only for CO2 but also for NOx, NO2 and PM10. The report also shows that there will be an increase in CO2 emitted in Greater London in each year from 2009. By 2012, research shows that in Outer London the increase in CO2 will be nearly 184,000 tonnes, with just 2,200 tonnes saved in Central London giving a net increase of 182,000 tonnes.
The report also concludes that the Congestion Charge doesn’t solve the pollution problem but moves it out of Central London. Because of this new charge, drivers are likely to increase their mileage outside of and around the zone and thus increase their emissions. It shows that “most of the emissions impacts happen in the outer location and this is a direct result of the high car traffic flow in the outer zone and the change of the vehicle km in this location.”
This research was in part used by TfL as they took the figures from the King’s report for NOx and PM10 directly from it; however, its findings in relation to CO2 emissions were not revealed and the full report has never before been released.
