The Effects of Congestion Charging on Automobility in Outer London: An Analysis

In 2003, the British government body Transport for London (TfL) introduced the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ) encircling Central London, a system designed to reduce road congestion within the British capital’s commercially robust yet chronically gridlocked cultural centre. The primary stipulation of the programme is that between during hours ofhigh activity, a £15 ($18.71) daily fee is levied for all cars that drive within the CCZ, with a few exceptions. This thesis attempts to argue that the CCZ has caused growing disparities in the levels of traffic volume between Central London. Using quantitative and qualitative data collected from Transport for London, the Department of Transport and the Office of Rail and Road, I find that auto dependency in London has declined the most in areas within the CCZ as well as those centred around major transport hubs—and has risen in areas of Outer London that are close to major highways. This shows that in areas where congestion charging isn’t politically feasible, improvements to urban design and mass transit can serve as valuable tools for reducing auto dependency in London’s suburbs.