London Mayor Promoting Tax to Fight Traffic Congestion.

• Position: Ken Livingstone - Brief Article

London Mayor Ken Livingstone plans to continue with a radical proposal to reduce traffic congestion in central London that could become a model for crowded cities in other countries. Starting in January 2003, Livingstone plans to impose a daily tax of $7.15 on every driver who enters central London during weekday daylight hours. Approximately 200 digital cameras will read license plates and check against a database of vehicles for which the tax has been paid. Violators will be fined if they fail to pay on time. Livingstone anticipates that the plan will decrease traffic by as much as 15 percent in central London and encourage motorists to use buses and subway trains. Critics say the plan would price low-income motorists off the roads. Both proponents and opponents of the plan agree that London's traffic congestion is out of control and...