London Congestion Charge - Vancouver And Canadian Cities Next?

Citizens in London are paying four pounds ($6.00 Canadian Dollars) a day to have the privilege of driving in downtown London and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is considering a similar charge for drivers to motor about Manhattan.

The London congestion charge is a fee for motorists traveling within the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ), a traffic area in London. The charge aims to reduce congestion, and raise investment funds for London's transport system. The zone was introduced in Central London on 17 February 2003, and extended into parts of West London on 19 February 2007. Though not the first scheme of its kind in the United Kingdom, it was the largest when introduced, and it remains one of the largest in the world. Several cities around the world have referenced London's congestion charge when considering their own schemes.

A payment is required each day for each vehicle which travels within the zone between 7am and 6pm (Monday-Friday only); a fine of between £60 and £180 is levied for non-payment. Transport for London (TfL) administers the charge; Capita Group operated it under contract until 31 October 2009, IBM took over on 1 November 2009. The system is mostly run on an automatic basis using Automatic Number Plate Recognition.