Mayor Ignores Voice of Hammersmith over C-Charge Extension

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Greg Hands condemns Ken Livingstone for putting his anti-car crusade ahead of local people's wishes.

Following Ken Livingstone's announcement today that he wants to see the C-Charge zone extended to the west by 2006, Cllr Greg Hands has condemned the Mayor of London for ignoring local people.

The Hammersmith & Fulham Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman believes the proposals would hit local residents particularly hard, with the border of the extended zone running alongside the constituency.

Greg said: "Not only would the extension massively increase local traffic, with people trying to avoid entering the zone and using residential streets as 'rat runs', but it would also make life impossible for those people who have to use their cars to go shopping, drop kids off at school and visit elderly or infirm relatives.

"Since these plans were first conceived I have seldom met anyone in Hammersmith & Fulham who is in favour of the extension. What I have received is hundreds of letters, emails and telephone calls from worried residents and businesses who want the plans stopped in their tracks. This is proof that the Mayor is only really interested in waging a personal war against the motorist."

Commenting on the plans, local GLA Member, Angie Bray has also said:

"The Mayor's consultation has been a sham all along. This is a slap in the face to all the residents who took the trouble to register their opposition to this scheme, and for those 29,500 who signed my petition against the expansion. A two-thirds majority against is no small margin and yet the Mayor has totally ignored their views. This is a sign of arrogance of the highest degree from a Mayor that claims to be a man of the people."
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15/08/04