Scrapping the Charge?

Recent reports in the Mail show that Boris has a raft of new plans for helping to keep the London economy ticking over in these almost-recession times, one of which may involve scrapping the congestion charges altogether. He’s already spoken about his plans to cut back the western extension, but now it’s looking as though the whole system might be removed. It’s certainly the right time, if it does happen, as the credit crunch is making the future look decidedly dicey for London residents who’d be subject to the fee on a daily basis.

The stats show that the charge has reduced congestion and traffic accidents (although apparently not by enough to meet targets, or as much as might have been expected), so if it does end up being scrapped, it can be written off as at least a partial success. There’s been no definitive yay-or-nay answer on the subject yet, but it’s good that Boris’s office is consistently looking to the future to see whether changes can be made.

Is this the right move? Will these efforts really shore up the economy, or is it likely to have a limited effect (if at all)?