Gatwick congestion charge mooted

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  • Anonymous
    Guest

    BigDog.
    Participant

    …”The possibility of a charge for people travelling to the airport, with possible exemptions for the “greenest” vehicles, has been included in a West Sussex County Council report.

    In the event of Gatwick being chosen as the preferred option for a new runway, passengers, staff at the airport and even taxi drivers could all be forced to pay.

    The report, which forms part of the council’s response to the Airports Commission, reads: “Depending on the scale of charge imposed, and the extent of the scheme (whether it targets passengers, employees and/or taxis), it is possible that traffic generation with the expanded Gatwick Airport could be reduced to 2013 levels.”….

    http://www.surreymirror.co.uk/Congestion-charge-mooted-Gatwick-Airport/story-26583116-detail/story.html


    GrahamSmith
    Member

    I was at a press conference held by Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate this morning and he ruled out a congestion charge.


    AnthonyDunn
    Participant

    That is the least of the issues there will be should LGW get the additional runway. Having endured a Bank Holiday crawl on the A27 south of Arundel last week, the road infrastructure from the south-west is wholly inadequate and this rather makes a mockery of Wingate et al’s claims of Gatwick needing no public subsidy or public expenditure.


    openfly
    Participant

    There is discussion at this moment with the Crawley MP regarding a totally new orbital motorway around London at a radius of 35 miles….the M35. One of the discussion points is that the already saturated M25 will be even more log-jammed with the suggested Gatwick expansion.

    The first section of the new M35 could be to the south of Gatwick round to the M4 at Reading. This works well as there are no flights, trains or buses Gatwick to the conurbations in the southwest or northwest of England. The only method of transport is by car.

    It will cost a fortune and take years to build, but is perfectly feasible, sensible and very necessary.

    The M35 will eventually circle London and include Stansted.


    AnthonyDunn
    Participant

    @openfly – 29/05/2015 17:27 BST

    Sorry if I allow myself a wry smile at this. I recall seeing Evan Davis on a BBC TV programme looking at the British (err, southern English) attitude to infrastructure. He attended a Summer fete somewhere adjacent to the M25 (between the M4 and M23) and asked those present how many had originally objected to the planned route of the M25. Almost all the hands went up. He then asked how many would want the now built M25 to be torn up…. This time hardly anybody stuck their hand up.

    As any mooted M35 would pass through the Surrey Hills AONB and through the most determined bunch of Tory NIMBY held seats in the entire country, any such suggestion could easily take 15-20 years after repeated planning inquiries, judicial reviews and the handing over of £gazillions to planning consultants and lawyers.

    “Planes, trains and cars are there to be enjoyed – as long is they’re not expected to pass anywhere near where I live….!”


    MrMichael
    Participant

    The CEO of LGW may have ruled out a congestion charge, but he is CEO of LGW not West Sussex, he would do well to remember that. He is perfectly entitled to oppose it, but it is for those elected by the residents of West Sussex to decide, not him. We live in a democratic country and decisions on the Highway network are not taken by the CEO’s of private companies……..goodness me.


    BigDog.
    Participant

    Methinks West Sussex CC (prudently) are hedging their bets and putting their toe in the water by mooting a congestion charge to keep traffic down to 2013 levels, whilst at the same time, compulsory purchase orders have been issued to a raft of properties and businesses along the B2036 – a well used feeder road for LGW – with a view to apparently tarmacking them over for more car parks.


    MrMichael
    Participant

    Anyone mentions a congestion charge and everybody jumps on the bandwagon of how disgraceful the whole idea is. Those same people then complain they are in congestion and have to allow an extra hour on a journey just in case. Fact is, if we want sustainable transport and more people using busses, trains etc then it must somehow be made the cheaper and faster option. All too often the car is the cheaper faster option, so pricing out the car where public transport infrastructure is good and congestion is a problem is not actually a bad idea, it is a good idea.

    Public transport in many areas is appalling, but when it come to LGW and LHR it is pretty good, as are the chances of being stuck in traffic.


    NTarrant
    Participant

    @ Openfly -“This works well as there are no flights, trains or buses Gatwick to the conurbations in the southwest or northwest of England. The only method of transport is by car.”

    You are actually incorrect, National Express operates coaches from Gatwick to South Wales and Bristol, Midlands, Leeds, Sheffield all with connections to other places in the South West and North West. Southern trains operate to Southampton for connections to Other South West destinations as well as Clapham Junction

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