<html>
<head>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="black">
<div class="articleLineHeight">
<h1> </h1>
<h1>Government rewards London for tackling congestion</h1>
<big></big>
<p>Traffic damages the environment and the economy, government warns</p>
<big></big>
<div class="articleLinks">
<div class="content">
<p><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.businessgreen.com/2237107">http://www.businessgreen.com/2237107</a><br>
</p>
<p>Despite some criticism of mayor Boris Johnson's record on the
environment, it
appears that central government at least is pleased with the progress
London has
made to curb congestion.</p>
<p>The Department for Transport
has
announced that it is awarding Greater London £3.9m as part of the
government's Urban Congestion Fund after the capital exceeded targets
for
tackling traffic problems.</p>
<p>Transport minister Paul Clark claimed the extra funding should be
used to
help London continue to tackle congestion, which should also have
economic
benefits.</p>
<p>"I am delighted that Greater London is being rewarded for beating
its
congestion targets. The money will help local authorities give road
users in
these areas faster, safer and more reliable journeys – benefiting the
local
economy," said Clark.</p>
<p>Aside from the obvious environmental impact of slow-moving traffic
from
exhaust emissions, congestion has serious consequences for the economy,
according to the DFT. "Across England we have now provided nearly £23m
to the
participating authorities to tackle urban congestion which is
responsible for 80
per cent of all our congestion problems," added Clark.</p>
<p>According to recently released transport statistics, in the London
area, the
average journey time fell by 5.1 per cent, while the average level of
travel
fell by 1.5 per cent.</p>
<p>The apparent drop in congestion in the capital follows
recent
criticism of mayor Johnson for his handling of traffic management in
the
capital after Transport for London admitted in a report that congestion
in
London's congestion charge zone was now as bad as it had been in
February 2003
before the charge was introduced.</p>
<p>The return to pre-congestion charge levels was put down to a
reduction in
road space resulting from increased road works and more allocation of
space to
bikes and buses.</p>
<p>In a statement released last year, Friends of the Earth also
criticised the
mayor's environmental record for his first 100 days in office. The
mayor
initiated several measures that could have taken London in the "wrong
direction
", including scrapping plans to introduce an emissions-related
congestion charge
for London and re-opening the public consultation on a western
extension of the
original charging zone, the group claimed.</p>
<p>But despite recognising London's progress on tackling congestion,
the mayor's
office and central government remain firmly divided on the issue of a
third
runway at Heathrow.</p>
<p>"The massive expansion in Heathrow's capacity would have an adverse
impact on
efforts to tackle climate change, it would increase aircraft noise,
worsen road
congestion and further reduce air quality in one of the most polluted
parts of
London," the mayor said in a recent statement.</p>
<p>According to the DFT, London is one of 10 urban areas across the UK
sharing a
total of £10.7m for beating congestion targets. The other areas are
Nottingham,
Leicester, Greater Manchester, West Midlands, Tyne & Wear,
Merseyside, the
west of England, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire.</p>
<p>The £60m Urban Congestion Performance Fund was set up to help cities
and
towns in the UK tackle congestion. Further funds will be available over
the
next two years, provided the areas continue to exceed their target
performance,
the government claims.<br>
</p>
<p>---<br>
Sunny<br>
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>