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London congestion charge

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123-753: Sadiq Khan ( L ) Statutory Deputy Mayor Joanne McCartney ( L/Co ) London Assembly Lord Mayor Peter Estlin London boroughs ( list ) Vacant The London congestion charge is a fee charged on most cars and motor vehicles being driven within the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ) in Central London between 7:00   am and 6:00   pm Monday to Friday, and between 12:00   noon and 6:00   pm Saturday and Sunday. Inspired by Singapore 's Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system after London officials had travelled to

246-505: A Trafalgar Square celebration of Eid al-Fitr , endorsing religious freedom and lambasting "criminals who do bad things and use the name of Islam to justify what they do". Following the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting , Khan attended a vigil in Old Compton Street , Soho , and insisted that he "will do everything in [his] power to ensure that LGBT Londoners feel safe in every part of our city"; later that month he marched in

369-430: A consultation on the scheme, viewed reducing traffic congestion in central London as 'important'. In July 2002, Westminster City Council launched a legal challenge against the plans, arguing that they would increase pollution and were a breach of human rights of residents on the boundary of the zone. The High Court rejected the claim. The London Ambulance Service (LAS) anticipated increased volumes of traffic around

492-565: A victim mentality and take greater responsibility for their own community. In the House of Commons in January 2009, Khan criticised Pope Benedict XVI for the rehabilitation of Bishop Richard Williamson following his remarks about the Holocaust , a move he described as "highly unsavoury" and of "great concern". In June 2009 he was promoted to Minister of State for Transport . In what

615-510: A 100% congestion charge discount. A plug-in electric drive vehicle qualifies if the vehicle is registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and has a fuel type of "electric", or alternatively, if the vehicle is a "plug-in hybrid" and is on the government's list of PHEVs eligible for the OLEV grant. As of February 2016, approved PHEVs include all extended-range vehicles such as

738-540: A Muslim mayor. He declared his opposition to homophobia , and said that he would have "zero tolerance for anti-Semitism". He openly condemned Islamic extremism and called on the Muslim community to take a leading role in combating it, although at the same time acknowledged the Islamophobia that many British Muslims faced. Khan declared that he would be "the most pro-business mayor ever", and met with groups such as

861-592: A congestion charge scheme, the Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997 required local authorities to study and reduce traffic volumes and any future London mayors were given the power to introduce "Road user charging" by the Greater London Authority Act 1999 . In his manifesto for the 2000 London Mayoral election , Ken Livingstone had proposed to introduce a £5 charge for vehicles entering central London. Following his victory,

984-441: A further policy review and said the bugging of discussions between MPs and their constituents should be banned. In June 2007, Blair stood down as both Prime Minister and Labour Party leader, to be replaced by Gordon Brown. Brown thought highly of Khan, who moved up the parliamentary ranks under Brown's Premiership. Brown made Khan a party whip, who was therefore charged with ensuring that Labour-sponsored legislation made it through

1107-640: A government minister, but if they lost then he would be free to pursue the Mayoralty. In December 2015, Khan voted against the Cameron government's plans to expand the bombing of targets in the Islamic State . Polls had suggested that Labour could be the largest party in a hung parliament following the 2015 general election, but ultimately the Conservatives secured victory. In the vote, Khan

1230-631: A local comprehensive . Khan studied science and mathematics at A-level , in the hope of eventually becoming a dentist. A teacher recommended that he study law instead, as he had an argumentative personality. The teacher's suggestion, along with the American television programme L.A. Law , inspired Khan to do so. He studied law at the University of North London (now London Metropolitan University ). His parents later moved out of their council flat and purchased their own home. Like his brothers, Khan

1353-557: A method of "car user restraint" by a variable system of charging for road usage – if the government had the will to do so. During the early years of the Greater London Council , which was formed in 1965, the first plans were drawn up for a system of cordon charging or supplementary licensing for use in the central area. A formal study was undertaken into the merits of the scheme, and in 1973 concluded that it would improve traffic and environmental conditions in

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1476-425: A newsletter sent to constituents featuring a "Labour rose", which was deemed to be unduly prominent. While the content of the newsletter was not deemed to be party political, the rose logo was found to be unduly prominent which may have had the effect of promoting a political party. There was no suggestion that Khan had deliberately or dishonestly compiled his expenses claims , which were not explicitly disallowed under

1599-552: A platform with the Conservatives "discredits us". After the murder of MP Jo Cox during the campaign, Khan called for the country to "pause and reflect" on the manner in which the Leave and Remain camps had been approaching the debate, stating that it had been marred by a "climate of hatred, of poison, of negativity, of cynicism". Following the success of the "Leave" vote, Khan insisted that all EU citizens living in London were welcome in

1722-621: A proposal to end the Greener Vehicle Discount that benefited mainly vehicles with small diesel engines, that avoid the charge because their engines produce emissions of less than 100 g/km of CO 2 . The proposal was approved by Mayor Boris Johnson in April 2013 and the Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED) went into effect on 1 July 2013. The ULED introduced more stringent emission standards that limit

1845-432: A referendum on the final Brexit deal. The march was started by Khan and featured speeches by Delia Smith and Steve Coogan . The organisers of the march said that almost 700,000 people took part. Police stated that they were unable to estimate the numbers involved and a later police debriefing document prepared by Khan's Greater London Authority estimated the number to be 250,000. On 23 March 2019, Khan took part in

1968-636: A scheme would benefit young people and the economy, and emphasised the distinction between youth mobility and the free movement of people within the single market. While fasting for the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in 2016, Khan declared that he would use the period as an opportunity to help "break down the mystique and suspicion" surrounding Islam in Britain and help to "get out there and build bridges" between communities, organising iftars to be held at synagogues, churches, and mosques. He then appeared at

2091-411: A significant proportion (42–48%) of total revenues. The 2008 annual report on the operation of the scheme shows that around 26% of penalties go unpaid, because the notice is cancelled on appeal or the amount cannot be recovered, for example if the registered keeper of the vehicle cannot be traced, has died, or is bankrupt. Several newspapers have reported about the use of copied number plates to avoid

2214-694: A third term, or instead seek election to the House of Commons in hope of becoming leader of the Labour Party . Khan stated that he would run for a third term. In the 2024 London mayoral election Khan was re-elected, defeating the Conservative candidate Susan Hall and making him the first to be elected to serve three terms as the Mayor of London. In August 2016, Khan declared his support for Owen Smith 's failed bid to oust Jeremy Corbyn as Leader of

2337-599: A total of 99 out of 128 embassies had agreed to the charge. Among others, decliners include Germany , Japan , Russia and the United States , who, by 2015, collectively owed £95 million. The United States and Germany are reported to consider it to be a local tax, from which they are protected by the Vienna Convention , rather than a toll. In May 2011, Johnson raised the issue with the President of

2460-441: A total of £960 million was invested on improvements to the bus network. The congestion charging scheme possibly facilitated a 10% reduction in traffic volumes from baseline conditions, and an overall reduction of 11% in vehicle kilometres in London between 2000 and 2012, though these changes cannot be causally attributed to the congestion charge. Despite these gains, traffic speeds have also been getting progressively slower over

2583-421: A week (as opposed to the previous 7:00   am to 6:00   pm on weekdays), and the daily charge will rise from £11.50 to £15 per day for a period of one year. As of 27 July 2020, the following penalty charges apply: The standard fee is £15 per day if paid in advance, by midnight on the day of travel, or if registered with Fleet Auto Pay or CC Autopay, an automated payment system which records

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2706-630: A year for an average Band D council tax payer. Since his first budget in 2017–18, Khan has increased the Greater London Authority 's council tax precept by 31%, from £280 a year to £363.66 a year for a Band D property. On the same day, Khan also ordered London residents to cease travelling after he declared the COVID-19 crisis in London a "major incident" with "out of control" spread, as infection rates for London were estimated to be around 1 in 30, with highs of 1 in 20 in some parts of

2829-610: A £1.6 billion bailout from the UK Government during the COVID-19 pandemic , and also lobbied the government to introduce public health restrictions on several occasions throughout the pandemic. He was re-elected as Mayor in both 2021 and 2024 , being the first London mayor to win a third term . He was included in the 2018 Time 100 list of most influential people in the world. Khan's policies as Mayor have resulted in making London's transport more accessible and reducing

2952-651: Is a road in Bermondsey in the London Borough of Southwark , UK , that runs north to south, and connects the Bricklayers Arms roundabout and flyover at its southern end ( New Kent Road and Old Kent Road ) to Tower Bridge and across the River Thames at its northern end. It also links to Long Lane . The road has an abundance of antique (or junk) shops along part of its length. There

3075-608: Is a 12-mile (19 km) route with an average diameter of 2.75–5.5 miles (4.43–8.85 km) formed from a number of major roads that encircle Central London . The ring road forms the boundary of the London congestion charge zone, although the ring road itself is not part of the zone. Starting at the northernmost point and moving clockwise , the roads defining the boundary are Pentonville Road , City Road , Old Street , Great Eastern Street , Commercial Street , Mansell Street , Tower Bridge , Tower Bridge Road , New Kent Road ,

3198-550: Is also Bermondsey Square which holds an 'antique' market every Friday morning, usually known as Bermondsey Market , though officially as New Caledonian Market . Towards its southern end are a collection of shops, pubs and takeaways. Kennington Lane is an A-road (classified A3204 ) running between the Elephant & Castle to the east and Vauxhall to the west. Starting at the Elephant, Kennington Lane splits off from

3321-466: Is primarily based on automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR). Transport for London (TfL) is responsible for the charge which has been operated by IBM since 2009. During the first ten years since the introduction of the scheme, gross revenue reached about £2.6 billion up to the end of December 2013. From 2003 to 2013, about £1.2 billion has been invested in public transport, road and bridge improvement and walking and cycling schemes. Of these,

3444-483: Is £15, Monday–Friday from 7:00   am to 6:00   pm, and 12:00   noon to 6:00   pm on Saturday and Sunday (and Bank Holidays), for each non-exempt vehicle driven within the zone, with a penalty of between £65 and £195 levied for non-payment. The congestion charge does not operate between Christmas Day (25 December) and New Years Day (1 January) inclusive. In July 2013 the Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED) introduced more stringent emission standards that limit

3567-481: The 2014 London local elections , in which the party advanced its control in the city, gaining hold of twenty of the thirty-two boroughs. By this point, there was much talk of Khan making a bid for the London Mayoralty in 2016, when incumbent Mayor Boris Johnson would be stepping down. His options were affected by the outcome of the 2015 general election ; if Labour won, then he would be expected to become

3690-597: The 2015 general election , Khan resigned from the Shadow Cabinet. He then announced himself as a candidate to be the Labour nominee for the London Mayoral elections of 2016 . Khan soon gained the support of prominent figures in the party, including former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone , who was on Labour's leftist, socialist wing, and Oona King , who was on its centrist, Blairite wing. He also received

3813-754: The A3 by means of a Y-junction , where Newington Butts becomes Kennington Park Road . Heading in a southwesterly direction, the road then crosses the A23 Kennington Road , before reaching the Vauxhall one-way system, where the A3036 Albert Embankment and Wandsworth Road, A202 Vauxhall Bridge , Durham Street and Harleyford Road , A203 South Lambeth Road , and A3205 Nine Elms Lane all converge. Vauxhall Bridge Road runs south-east to north-west from Vauxhall Cross , over

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3936-625: The BMW i3 REx , and plug-in hybrids such as the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron , BMW i8 , Mitsubishi Outlander P-HEV (passenger and van variants), Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid , and Volkswagen Golf GTE . Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) were exempt from the charge but the PHV exemption ended in April 2019, except for PHVs which are wheelchair accessible vehicles. In November 2012, TfL presented

4059-480: The Bow Group stated that historically, London congestion is at its worst during the morning rush hour, and that the early days of congestion charging had little impact on that critical time, the main effect occurring after 11:00   am. Just over 100,000 motorists paid the charge personally, 15–20,000 were fleet vehicles paying under fleet arrangements, and it was believed around 10,000 liable motorists did not pay

4182-632: The Elephant & Castle , Kennington Lane , the roads that constitute the Vauxhall Cross one-way system and Vauxhall Bridge , Vauxhall Bridge Road , the roads that constitute the Victoria one-way system, Grosvenor Place, Park Lane , Edgware Road , Old Marylebone Road, Marylebone Road and Euston Road . The route is described as the "Inner" Ring Road because there are two further sets of roads that have been described as London ring roads. The North and South Circular Roads together form

4305-579: The Federation of Small Businesses and City of London Corporation . Goldsmith's Conservative campaign emphasised connections between Khan and then Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn . Both the Conservative campaign and several Conservative-aligned newspapers were accused of tarring Khan as an apologist for, or even sympathiser with, Islamic extremism. International press sources often focused on his religious identity, with many right-wing American media outlets reacting with horror at his election. Khan won

4428-535: The Liberty advocacy group for three years. Joining the Labour Party, Khan was a councillor for the London Borough of Wandsworth from 1994 to 2006 before being elected MP for Tooting at the 2005 general election . He was openly critical of several policies of Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair , including the 2003 invasion of Iraq and new anti-terror legislation. Under Blair's successor Gordon Brown , Khan

4551-469: The New Road from Paddington to Islington began in 1756 to relieve congestion in the built-up area of London. At that time the districts of Marylebone , Fitzrovia and Bloomsbury were on the northern edge of the city, and only the southern parts of them had been built up. The New Road ran through the fields to the north of these three neighbourhoods. The road is now one of the busiest main roads in

4674-519: The Put It to the People march in London in support of a second Brexit referendum. Khan addressed a rally at the end of the march alongside SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon , Conservative peer Michael Heseltine , former Attorney General Dominic Grieve , Labour 's deputy leader Tom Watson , and MPs Jess Phillips , Justine Greening and David Lammy . In January 2023, Khan said that he couldn't ignore

4797-691: The West End , which is London's primary commercial and entertainment centre. Although primarily a commercial area, there are also 136,000 residents, out of a total Greater London population of almost 9,000,000. There is little heavy industry within the zone. Starting at the northernmost point and moving clockwise, the major roads defining the boundary are Pentonville Road , City Road , Old Street , Commercial Street , Mansell Street , Tower Bridge Road , New Kent Road , Elephant and Castle , Kennington Lane , Vauxhall Bridge Road , Park Lane , Edgware Road , Marylebone Road and Euston Road (other roads fill

4920-618: The partition of India in 1947. His father Amanullah and mother Sehrun arrived in London from Pakistan in 1968. Khan was the fifth of eight children, seven of whom were boys. In London, Amanullah worked as a bus driver and Sehrun as a seamstress . Khan and his siblings grew up in a three-bedroom council flat on the Henry Prince Estate in Earlsfield . He attended Fircroft Primary School and then Ernest Bevin School ,

5043-592: The "set back" housing lines originally intended to provide an atmosphere of spaciousness along the thoroughfare. It is one of the locations on the UK version of the Monopoly board game , which features areas native to London. Pentonville Road is one of the many London place names mentioned in the song "Transmetropolitan" by The Pogues . Mansell Street is a short road, part of the A1210 route (though sometimes shown as being

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5166-581: The 2003 invasion of Iraq, stating that Blair's policies had caused great harm to civilians in the Middle East and provided "ammunition to extremists who threaten us all". In interviews with the BBC, Labour Home Secretary John Reid - who had coordinated the arrests - described the letter as "a dreadful misjudgement", and former Conservative leader Michael Howard described it as "a form of blackmail". Khan had to repay £500 in expenses in 2007 in relation to

5289-640: The 2005 Parliamentarian of the Year Awards. The magazine's editorial board stated that he had received the award "for the tough-mindedness and clarity with which he has spoken about the very difficult issues of Islamic terror". In August 2006, two days after seven terrorists were arrested for attempting the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot Khan signed an open letter to Tony Blair that was signed by prominent Muslims and published in The Guardian . The letter criticised UK foreign policy and in particular

5412-657: The A1211), which for most of its length marks the boundary between the City of London and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets , though the southernmost part is entirely in Tower Hamlets. It runs from Aldgate southwards to the Tower of London . The northern part, north of the junction with Goodmans Yard and Prescot Street, has one way northbound traffic, while the southern part has one way southbound traffic. Tower Bridge Road

5535-582: The Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith , and resigned as an MP. As Mayor, he implemented the Hopper fare for unlimited bus and tram journeys for an hour, increased the cost and the area covered by the London congestion charge , and introduced new charges (the T-Charge and the ULEZ ) for older and more polluting vehicles driving in the city. He also backed expansion at London City Airport and Gatwick Airport . He

5658-736: The Earlsfield Amateur Boxing Club. While studying for his degree, between the ages of 18 and 21, he had a Saturday job at the Peter Jones department store in Sloane Square . Before entering the House of Commons in 2005, Khan practised as a solicitor. After completing his law degree in 1991, Khan took his Law Society finals at the College of Law in Guildford . In 1994, he married Saadiya Ahmed, who

5781-407: The Greener Vehicle Discount by June 2013 were granted a three-year sunset period before they have to pay the full congestion charge. Other changes were the removal of the option to pay the charge in shops, and the penalty charge was increased to £10. The sunset period ended on 24 June 2016. In December 2018, a further tightening of the standards was announced, in part to bring standards beyond that of

5904-507: The Information Technology infrastructure. Due to the wide spread of sub-contractors around the world and due to varying data protection regulations in different countries, the scheme had prompted concerns about privacy. On the first day 190,000 vehicles moved into or within the zone during charging hours, a decrease of around 25% on normal traffic levels, partly due to it also being the half-term school holiday. A report from

6027-777: The LGBT Pride London parade. In June 2020, during the George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom , protesters sprayed graffiti on the Statue of Winston Churchill, Parliament Square over two successive days, including, following the inscription "Churchill", the words "was a racist". As a result, Khan controversially announced that he had ordered the statue to be temporarily covered up to preserve it from further vandalism. London Inner Ring Road The London Inner Ring Road , or Ring Road as signposted,

6150-441: The Labour Party. Although describing him as a "principled Labour man", Khan said that Corbyn had failed to gain popularity with the electorate and that Labour would not win a general election under Corbyn's leadership. On 8 January 2021, Khan announced a planned council tax rise of 9.5% to help fund policing and free transport for pensioners and schoolchildren in London. Khan's proposal would see an overall increase of 9.5% or £31.59

6273-402: The Labour nominee, Tessa Jowell , would defeat Goldsmith in a mayoral election, Khan would not. In hustings, Khan placed an emphasis on his working-class origins, which would play against Jowell's wealthier upbringing, and argued for the need for change in London, thereby insinuating that Jowell would represent too much continuity with the outgoing Johnson administration. In September 2015, Khan

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6396-625: The Liberal Democrat candidate, Nasser Butt, an Ahmadiyya . In 2019, Bokhari was appointed to join Khan's new Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Advisory Group. In the subsequent Labour leadership election Khan was an early backer of Ed Miliband , becoming his campaign manager . In the wake of Labour's 2010 election defeat , Acting Leader Harriet Harman appointed Khan Shadow Secretary of State for Transport . Khan orchestrated Ed Miliband's successful campaign to become Labour leader, and

6519-477: The Mayor made a draft order and requested a report from TfL, which summarised the reasons for introducing the scheme. The scheme was to be introduced to reduce congestion in the centre of the capital following the Draft Transport Strategy of January 2001 which had highlighted the importance that the Mayor placed on tackling this issue. The charge was to be part of a series of measures to improve

6642-420: The T-Charge. It initially covered the same area as the T-Charge and the Congestion Charge Zone but applies 24/7, every day of the year (except Christmas Day), with charges of £12.50 a day for cars, vans and motorcycles, and £100 a day for lorries, buses and coaches. The ULEZ caused a 20% reduction in emissions and resulted in a drop of non compliant vehicles entering the zone each day from 35,578 to 23,054. The zone

6765-512: The Toxicity Charge or T-Charge, was introduced on 23 October 2017. It operated for the same hours as the congestion charge (7:00   am to 6:00   pm on weekdays). Older cars and vans that did not meet Euro 4 standards had to pay an extra £10 charge on top of the congestion charge to drive in central London, within the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ). The charge typically applied to diesel and petrol vehicles registered before 2006, and

6888-681: The ULEZ was expanded to cover the Inner London area within the North and South Circular Roads , and in August 2023 to all of Greater London . The ULEZ replaced the T-charge (toxicity charge) which applied to vehicles below Euro 4 standard. Since 2021 the congestion charge exemption has applied only to pure electric vehicles and from 2025 there will be no discounts for electric vehicles. Enforcement

7011-439: The ULEZ. This means that since April 2019 only vehicles which are Euro 6, emit up to 75 g/km of CO 2 and have a minimum 20 mile zero emission range have qualified for the discount. A further phase from October 2021 will mean that only zero-emission vehicles ( pure electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles ) can qualify, and the discount will be phased out completely from December 2025. An emissions surcharge, known as

7134-404: The United States, Barack Obama , who was fined £120 after driving through London in the Presidential state car without paying the toll during a state visit to Buckingham Palace . The United States subsequently claimed diplomatic immunity . A TfL spokesperson noted that US embassies do pay tolls in Oslo and Singapore. In 2024 Transport for London estimated that, by the end of 2023, £143 million

7257-454: The West Cross Route (A3320), but the Westway itself was not part of the zone. In January 2013, Transport for London opened a public consultation to increase the standard charge by 15% by mid 2014, from £10 per day to £11.50, if paid in advance or on the day. The increase was expected to generate an estimated £84 million of additional revenue by the end of 2017/18. The consultation process ran from January 2014 to March 2014. According to TfL,

7380-448: The ancient office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of The Three Chiltern Hundreds , a customary practice in the UK. This triggered a by-election in Tooting which was held on 16 June 2016 . He is regularly named among the Top 100 London politicians in the London Evening Standard ' s annual poll of the 1,000 most influential Londoners and is an Ambassador for Mosaic Network , an initiative set up by Prince Charles . In 2023, Khan

7503-422: The backing of the Labour-affiliated GMB and Unite unions, and the nomination of 44 of Labour's 73 parliamentary constituent parties in London, leaving him as one of the top two contenders. Khan's main rival was Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith ; Khan described him as a spoiled dilettante who "never finishes anything he starts". A YouGov poll for LBC suggested that while the other main contender to be

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7626-418: The centre. These plans were being developed at the same time as the London Ringways , a series of four orbital motorways around and within London including Ringway 1 (the London Motorway Box) leading to widespread public protest by Homes before Roads and others. Only a small section of these road schemes had been implemented by the time Labour gained control in the 1973 Greater London Council elections , and

7749-467: The charge had cut the number of non-compliant vehicles by around 1,000 per day, with the remaining 2,000 paying the £10 charge (a further 3,000 vehicles are eligible for discounts due to Blue Badges etc.). The T-Charge was replaced by the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on 8 April 2019. For the ULEZ sunset period the T-Charge was still levied for uncompliant vehicles on holders of the residents' discount. The ULEZ went into effect in April 2019 and replaced

7872-463: The charge, both in terms of lost sales due to reduced traffic and increased delivery costs, as recognised by the London Chamber of Commerce. In August 2003, the John Lewis Partnership , a large department store, announced that in the first six months of the charge's operation, sales at their Oxford Street store fell by 7.3% whilst sales at other stores in the Greater London area but outside the Congestion Charge Zone rose by 1.7%. To partly compensate for

7995-472: The city and that he was grateful for the contribution that they made to it. He endorsed the Metropolitan Police's "We Stand Together" campaign to combat the rise in racial abuse following the referendum, and later backed the "London is Open" campaign to encourage businesses, artists, and performers to continue coming to the city despite Brexit. On 20 October 2018, Khan marched with People's Vote protesters from Park Lane to Parliament Square in support of

8118-445: The city. In the buildup to the referendum on the UK's continuing membership of the European Union (EU), Khan was a vocal supporter of the "Remain" camp. He agreed to attend a Britain Stronger in Europe campaign event with the Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron to demonstrate cross-party support for remaining within the EU, for which he was criticised by Labour Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell , who claimed that sharing

8241-398: The city. It runs from Edgware Road in the west to Angel , in the east. After being renamed in 1857, the western section between Edgware Road and Great Portland Street is known as Marylebone Road , the central section between Great Portland Street and King's Cross is known as Euston Road , and the eastern section from King's Cross to The Angel is called Pentonville Road . City Road

8364-411: The congestion charge was implemented, its effectiveness in reducing traffic volumes means that conditions would be worse without the congestion charging scheme, though later studies emphasise that causality has not been established. The current congestion charge zone covers the area within the London Inner Ring Road which includes both the City of London , which is the main financial district, and also

8487-401: The congestion charge, resulting in vehicle owners receiving penalty notices for failure to pay when their vehicles have not been inside the zone. Numbers known to be copied are stored in a database and trigger alerts, including police vehicle ANPR camera alerts, when observed in use. Following pressure from the Mayor of London, an increasing number of embassies accepted the charge and by 2008

8610-436: The country are having to accept pay freezes I don't think it's appropriate for MPs to accept a pay rise." In 2010 , Khan was re-elected as the MP for Tooting, despite a swing against his party of 3.6% and a halving of his previous majority. His campaign in Tooting had been supported by Harris Bokhari , who reportedly used anti-Ahmadiyya sentiment to mobilise Muslim voters at a mosque in Tooting to vote for Khan instead of

8733-476: The country, the charge was first introduced on 17 February 2003. The London charge zone is one of the largest congestion charge zones in the world, despite the removal of the Western Extension which operated between February 2007 and January 2011. The charge not only helps to reduce high traffic flow in the city streets, but also reduces air and noise pollution in the central London area and raises investment funds for London's transport system. The standard charge

8856-415: The due charge. Initial suggestions that school holidays were responsible for part of the traffic drop during the first week of operation of the charge were confirmed when traffic rose again by 5% following the return to school at the beginning of the second week of the charge. Reports indicated that, over the first month or so of operation, traffic was consistently down at least 15% on pre-charge levels, with

8979-399: The edge of the zone and an increase in demand within the zone, that might both adversely affect clinical outcomes. Before the charge's introduction, there were fears of a very chaotic few days as people got used to the new situation. Indeed, Ken Livingstone , then Mayor of London and key proponent of the charge, himself predicted a "difficult few days" and a "bloody day". On introduction,

9102-469: The election with 57% of the vote. The 1.3 million votes he received are the largest any UK politician has personally received to date. Various press sources noted that Khan's election made him the first actively affiliated Muslim to become mayor of a major Western capital. After the 2019 United Kingdom general election , following the resignation of Jeremy Corbyn as the leader of the Labour Party , there were some speculations on whether Khan could run in

9225-422: The establishment of both a "London living rent" tenure and a not-for-profit lettings agency that could undercut commercial operators in order to ease the high cost of renting in the city. He also called for house building on land owned by TfL, insisting that at least 50% of those constructed should be "genuinely affordable". A YouGov poll found that 31% of Londoners stated that they would not be "comfortable" with

9348-481: The firm in 2004, after he became the prospective Labour candidate for the Tooting parliamentary constituency. During his legal career, he acted in actions against employment and discrimination law , judicial reviews, inquests, the police, and crime, and was involved in cases including the following: Before entering Parliament, Khan represented Tooting as a councillor on Wandsworth Council from 1994 to 2006, and

9471-412: The foreseeable future where we would want to change the charge, although perhaps ten years down the line it may be necessary" referring to the amount that drivers have to pay, indicating that £5 was sufficient to bring about the reduction in traffic that he had hoped for. The London Assembly Budget Committee 2003 report on the company criticised the contract with Capita as not providing value for money. It

9594-408: The former King's Cross Thameslink station . It acquired its present name in 1857. There are several halls of residence located on Pentonville Road, these being Dinwiddy House ( SOAS ), Paul Robeson House and Nido Student Living. There are two green spaces along the road – Joseph Grimaldi Park and Claremont Square , the latter however is not open to the public. This street is distinguished by

9717-571: The free access to the congestion charge zone to all-electric cars , some plug-in hybrids , and any vehicle that emits 75 g/km or less of CO 2 and meets the Euro 5 standards for air quality. On 8 April 2019, the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) was introduced, which applies 24/7 to vehicles which do not meet the emissions standards: Euro 4 standards for petrol vehicles, and Euro 6 or VI for diesel and large vehicles. In October 2021,

9840-493: The free access to the congestion charge zone to all-electric cars, some plug-in hybrids, and any car or van that emits 75 g/km or less of CO 2 and meets the Euro 5 emission standards for air quality. As of July 2013, there are no internal combustion -only vehicles that meet these criteria. The measure was designed to curb the growing number of diesel vehicles on London's roads. About 20,000 owners of vehicles registered for

9963-481: The immense damage caused by Brexit, arguing for a more sensible approach to mitigate the damage, including a debate on rejoining the single market . He also believed that Brexit had "weakened our economy, fractured our union and diminished our reputation. But, crucially, not beyond repair." In April 2024, Khan called for the UK to establish a youth mobility scheme with the European Union. He argued that such

10086-568: The improper claim for the cards to "inexperience" and human error and apologised for breaking the expenses rules . In early 2013, Miliband appointed Khan as the Shadow Minister for London , a position that he held in addition to his other responsibilities. In December 2013, the Fabian Society published a collection of essays edited by Khan that was titled Our London . Khan was also tasked with overseeing Labour's campaign for

10209-402: The introduction of the charge, there were a number of suggestions for its future. Soon after charging commenced, Livingstone announced that he would carry out a formal review of the charge's success or failure six months after its introduction – brought forward from one year, following the smooth start. On 25 February 2003 Livingstone stated, "I can't conceive of any circumstances in

10332-522: The levy affected up to 10,000 vehicles. The public consultation on the T-Charge proposals began in July 2016. London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced the introduction of the scheme on 17 February 2017 after London achieved record air pollution levels in January 2017, and the city was put on a high pollution alert for the first time ever, as cold and stationary weather failed to clear toxic pollutants emitted mainly by diesel vehicles. In December 2017, TfL said that

10455-413: The loss of revenue they extended opening hours and introduced regular Sunday opening for the first time. However London First's own report indicated that business was broadly supportive. Subsequently, another report stated that there had been a reduction in some employment in the charging zone. TfL criticised the reports as unrepresentative and that its own statistics reported no effect on business. After

10578-499: The new administration abandoned the road building plans in favour of public transport and traffic management . The new administration, to which Ken Livingstone had just been elected for the first time, studied a congestion scheme similar to the one which was eventually adopted the following year. In 1995, the London Congestion Research Programme concluded that the city's economy would benefit from

10701-695: The number of charging days a vehicle travels within the charging zone each month and bills the customer debit or credit card each month, or £17.50 if paid by midnight the third day after travel. Failure to pay after the third day after travel results in the issuance of a Penalty Charge Notice for £160, reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days, but increased to £240 if unpaid after 28 days. Refunds are available to people who pay monthly or annually in advance whose plans change; reimbursements are available to NHS patients assessed to be too ill to travel by public transport, NHS staff using vehicles on official business, and care home employees. Residents living within or very close to

10824-520: The number of polluting vehicles in central London. Conversely, his tenure has seen rising levels of gun and knife crimes in the city . Sadiq Aman Khan was born on 8 October 1970 at St George's Hospital in Tooting , South London , to a working-class Sunni Muslim - Muhajir family. His grandparents migrated from Lucknow in United Provinces , British India to Pakistan following

10947-467: The objective of the increase was to recoup inflation over the past three years and ensure the charge remains an effective deterrent to making unnecessary journeys in central London. On 15 May 2020, the Congestion Charge was re-implemented following a period of suspension during the COVID-19 pandemic . From 22 June 2020, it will temporarily run from 7:00   am to 10:00   pm seven days

11070-440: The parliamentary process to become law. In July 2008, Khan helped push through a government proposal to permit the detention of those suspected of terror offences for 42 days without charge. For his part in this, Khan was criticised by Liberty's Shami Chakrabarti and others, who claimed that Khan had contravened his principles on civil liberties issues. On Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Cabinet reshuffle of 3 October 2008, Khan

11193-524: The past decade, particularly in central London. TfL explains that the historic decline in traffic speeds is most likely due to interventions that have reduced the effective capacity of the road network in order to improve the urban environment, increase road safety and prioritise public transport, pedestrian and cycle traffic, as well as an increase in road works by utilities and general development activity since 2006. TfL concluded in 2006 that, while levels of congestion in central London are close to levels before

11316-618: The rules at that time. The rules were retrospectively changed disallowing the claim, which had previously been approved by the House of Commons authorities. On 3 February 2008, The Sunday Times claimed that a conversation between Khan and prisoner Babar Ahmad  – a constituent accused of involvement in terrorism – at Woodhill Prison in Milton Keynes had been bugged by the Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch . An inquiry

11439-602: The scheme was the largest ever undertaken by a capital city. The charge was introduced on 17 February 2003 covering the approximate area of the London Inner Ring Road . Starting at the northernmost point and moving clockwise, the major roads defining the boundary were Pentonville Road , City Road , Old Street , Commercial Street , Mansell Street , Tower Bridge Road , New Kent Road , Elephant and Castle , Vauxhall Bridge Road , Park Lane , Edgware Road , Marylebone Road and Euston Road (other roads filled

11562-534: The seat. He was elected to Parliament at the 2005 general election . Khan was one of the Labour MPs who led the successful opposition to Prime Minister Tony Blair's proposed introduction of 90 days' detention without charge for those suspected of terrorism offences. In recognition of this, The Spectator —a right-wing magazine then edited by Boris Johnson —awarded him the "Newcomer of the Year Award" at

11685-418: The second a £2,550 repayment for Christmas, Eid , and birthday cards for constituents, dating back to 2006. Under House of Commons rules, pre-paid envelopes and official stationery can only be used for official parliamentary business. Khan's claim for the greetings cards was initially rejected, but he presented a new invoice no longer identifying the nature of the claim, and this was accepted. Khan attributed

11808-470: The second ring road around London, averaging 10–15 miles (16–24 km) in diameter. The M25 motorway is the outermost road encircling the metropolis, at an average diameter of 40–50 miles (64–80 km). Plans for an Inner Ring Road were put forward by Patrick Abercrombie in the 1940s, in the County of London Plan . The route is signed as "Ring Road" and is made up of the following: Construction of

11931-485: The second week seeing the reduction drop to 20%. The AA Motoring Trust suggested that changes to the timing of traffic lights and the end of major road works had also impacted congestion. The effect of the congestion charge zone on local businesses is a contested issue. The TfL estimates that the effect on business has been overall neutral. However the effect on business differs significantly between stores. Some shops and businesses are reported to be heavily affected by

12054-574: The small gaps between these roads). Signs were erected and symbols painted on the road to help drivers recognise the congestion charge area. The Western Extension, introduced in February 2007 and removed on 4 January 2011, included areas surrounded by the following roads starting from the north-westernmost point: Scrubs Lane, Harrow Road, Westway (part of the A40), Park Lane, Vauxhall Bridge Road, Grosvenor Road, Chelsea Embankment, Earl's Court Road and part of

12177-463: The small gaps between these roads). The zone therefore included the whole of the City of London , the financial district, and the West End , London's primary commercial and entertainment centre. On the launch date of the original zone, an extra 300 buses (out of a total of around 8,000) were introduced. Bus and London Underground managers reported that buses and tubes were a little, if at all, busier than normal. Originally, Capita Group maintained

12300-472: The socialist Fabian Society , remaining on its executive committee. In 2009, he won the Jenny Jeger Award ( Best Fabian Pamphlet ) for his work Fairness not Favours: How to re-connect with British Muslims . In March 2010, Khan publicly stated that for a second successive year he would not be taking a pay rise as an MP or Minister, declaring "At a time when many people in Tooting and throughout

12423-433: The system under a five-year contract worth around £230m. Having been threatened with the termination of the contract by Ken Livingstone , then Mayor of London , for poor performance, when the zone was subsequently extended, Capita was awarded an extension to the original contract up until February 2009 to cover the expanded zone. Capita employed sub-contractors including India -based Mastek , who were responsible for much of

12546-623: The transport system in London and was to combined with public transport improvements and increased enforcement of parking and traffic regulations. The report stated that the scheme was expected to be the most effective in reducing through traffic, reducing congestion both within and outside the zone, improving the speed of buses and the quality of life in central London. It was stated that improved traffic flows would make London more attractive to business investment. Substantial net revenues were anticipated, which were to be invested in London's transport system. It also states that 90% of those who responded to

12669-439: The triggered leadership election . However, he ruled himself out of the leadership election, to run for a second term as mayor of London, which he explained he was 'absolutely' more interested in. In the 2021 London mayoral election , Khan was re-elected for a second term, defeating the Conservative candidate Shaun Bailey . Following Khan's re-election into second term, there had been speculation as to whether he would run for

12792-481: The zone are eligible for a 90% discount which is charged via CC Autopay. The system gives 100% discounts to registered cars which emit 75 g/km or less of carbon dioxide and meet the Euro 5 emission standard , vehicles with nine or more seats, motor-tricycles, two-wheeled motorcycles (and sidecars), mopeds, accredited breakdown companies, and roadside recovery vehicles. All-electric vehicles (BEVs) and eligible plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) qualify for

12915-561: Was a fan of sport, particularly enjoying football, cricket, and boxing. From his earliest years, Khan worked: "I was surrounded by my mum and dad working all the time, so as soon as I could get a job, I got a job. I got a paper round, a Saturday job—some summers I laboured on a building site." The family continues to send money to relatives in Pakistan, "because we're blessed being in this country." He and his family often encountered racism, which led to him and his brothers taking up boxing at

13038-796: Was a vocal supporter of the unsuccessful Britain Stronger in Europe and People's Vote campaigns for the UK to remain in the European Union , and attracted international attention for his Twitter arguments with United States President Donald Trump . Khan established the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm following the 2020 George Floyd protests . Although Khan initially froze some Transport for London (TfL) fares, he has implemented transport fare rises since 2021 in return for

13161-401: Was also a solicitor. Also in 1994, Khan became a trainee solicitor at a firm of solicitors called Christian Fisher; the firm undertook mainly legal aid cases. The partners were Michael Fisher and Louise Christian . Khan became a partner at the firm in 1997, and like Christian, specialised in human rights law . When Fisher left in 2002, the firm was renamed Christian Khan . Khan left

13284-435: Was also suspended on 2 February 2009, in response to an extreme weather event (heavy snowfall) in the London area. Although avoidance has become more sophisticated, compliance with the scheme and terms of payment has improved over the last few years, as is evidenced by the income from penalties dropping by approximately a quarter between 2005 and 2007. However, even after charges were increased, enforcement charges still made up

13407-806: Was announced as the winning nominee. He gained 48,152 votes (58.9%) against Jowell's 35,573 (41.1%). He was the favourite candidate in all three voting categories; Labour Party members, members of affiliated trade unions and organisations, and registered supporters who had paid £3 in order to vote. Khan vowed that if elected, he would freeze public transport fares in London for four years. He claimed that this would deprive Transport for London (TfL) of £452 million, but TfL stated that it would deprive them of £1.9 billion, taking into account projected population growth over this period. Although he had previously backed Heathrow expansion, he now opposed it, instead calling for expansion at Gatwick Airport . He spoke of clamping down on foreign property investors, and proposed

13530-481: Was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in 2008, later becoming Minister of State for Transport . A key ally of the next Labour leader, Ed Miliband , he served in Miliband's Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for Justice , Shadow Lord Chancellor and Shadow Minister for London . Khan was elected Mayor of London at the 2016 mayoral election , defeating

13653-607: Was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government . In 2008, the Fabian Society published Khan's book, Fairness Not Favours . In this work, Khan argued that the Labour Party had to reconnect with British Muslims, arguing that it had lost the trust of this community as a result of the Iraq War . He also said that British Muslims had their own part to play in reconnecting with politicians, arguing that they needed to rid themselves of

13776-402: Was appointed to the senior roles of Shadow Lord Chancellor and Shadow Justice Secretary . In April 2010 it was revealed that Khan had repaid falsely claimed expenses on two occasions, when literature was sent to his constituents. The first incident concerned letters sent out before the 2010 General Election which were ruled to have the "unintentional effect of promoting his return to office",

13899-502: Was believed to be a first for an MP, Khan used his Twitter account to self-announce his promotion. Though Khan was not a member of the cabinet , he attended meetings for agenda items covering his policy area, thus becoming the first Muslim to attend the British Cabinet. As Transport Minister, Khan supported plans to expand Heathrow Airport with the addition of a third runway . During this period, Khan served as chairman of

14022-403: Was constructed in 1761 to continue the route eastwards to the northern edge of the City of London . Pentonville Road runs west to east from Kings Cross to City Road . By far the greater portion of the road is in the London Borough of Islington but a small part near Kings Cross is in the London Borough of Camden , including an entrance to King's Cross St Pancras Underground station at

14145-552: Was extended to the North Circular and South Circular roads in October 2021 and was extended to the whole of Greater London from 29 August 2023. TfL can and does suspend the congestion charge either in a small local area to cope with incidents and if directed to do so by a police officer. The congestion charge was suspended on 7 and 8 July 2005 in response to the terrorist attacks on London Transport . The congestion charge

14268-485: Was granted the title of Honorary Alderman of Wandsworth upon his retirement from local politics. In 2003, Tooting Constituency Labour Party decided to open its parliamentary selection to all interested candidates, including the incumbent MP since 1974, Tom Cox . This prompted Cox, then in his mid-70s, to announce his retirement rather than risk de-selection. In the subsequent selection contest, Khan defeated five other local candidates to become Labour's candidate for

14391-564: Was his appearance at a Holocaust memorial ceremony in a rugby stadium in North London, although due to delays with the results of the election, he officially took office on 9 May. "An affordable and secure home to rent or buy, more jobs with higher wages for the lowest paid, making it easier to set up and run a successful business, reducing the cost of commuting, and making London's environment safer, healthier and less polluted." Khan's priorities as Mayor. After Labour's defeat at

14514-609: Was launched by the Justice Secretary , Jack Straw . There was concern that the bugging contravened the Wilson Doctrine that police should not bug MPs. The report concluded that the doctrine did not apply because it affected only bugging requiring approval by the Home Secretary, while in Khan's case the monitoring was authorised by a senior police officer. The Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith , then announced

14637-572: Was named by the New Statesman as the seventeenth most powerful left-wing figure of 2023. In 2016, Sadiq Khan ran to become the mayor of London and was elected with 57% of the vote. He became just the third ever London Mayor and is London's first Muslim mayor and first ethnic minority mayor. Khan was officially sworn in as Mayor in a multi-faith ceremony held in Southwark Cathedral the following day. His first act as mayor

14760-532: Was owed by foreign embassies in London: since the charge was introduced in 2003, the US Embassy owed the most with £14.6 million, followed by Japan at £10 million, India with £8.5 million, and Nigeria with £8.4 million. The government 's Smeed Report of 1964 was the first full assessment of the practicality of road pricing in a British city on the basis of congestion. It recommended

14883-488: Was previously Member of Parliament (MP) for Tooting from 2005 until 2016. A member of the Labour Party , Khan is on the party's soft left and has been ideologically characterised as a social democrat . Born in Tooting , South London, to a British Pakistani family, Khan earned a law degree from the University of North London . He subsequently worked as a solicitor specialising in human rights issues and chaired

15006-455: Was reported in July 2003 that TfL agreed to subsidise Capita by paying it £31 million because it was making no profits from the project, and that the most critical problem was the 103,000 outstanding penalty notices not paid. Sadiq Khan Sadiq Aman Khan Hon FRIBA ( / ˈ s ɑː d ɪ k ˈ k ɑː n / , pronunciation ; born 8 October 1970) is a British politician serving as Mayor of London since 2016. He

15129-505: Was returned for a third term as MP for Tooting, defeating his Conservative rival by 2,842 votes. He was one of 36 Labour MPs to nominate Jeremy Corbyn as a candidate in the Labour leadership election of 2015 , but has said that he was "no patsy" to Corbyn and would stand up to him. He later stated that he nominated Corbyn to "broaden the debate" but did not then vote for him. On 9 May 2016, Khan resigned as an MP by his appointment to

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