FTA has reacted with extreme disappointment to TfL’s decision to reintroduce all London road charging with immediate effect. FTA’s head of urban policy says, the decision will have a detrimental impact on the distribution sector’s efforts to help re-start the capital’s economy:
‘Cash-hit operators that have not been able to work for the past eight weeks are themselves working hard to recover their own business finances but having to accommodate additional road charges will penalise that growth significantly.
‘The suspension of road charging schemes was extremely welcome in helping logistics operators focus on dealing with the COVID-19 crisis when the shutdown posed a threat to their future solvency. To reintroduce road charging without any notice smacks of opportunism on the part of TfL and threatens the green shoots of recovery across London’s economy.’
The announcement also includes a proposed increase to the daily congestion charge to £15 and extension to the hours of operation to 7am-10pm, seven days a week from 22 June.
