Congestion Charging

Living in the zone

By David Spittles

Evening Standard

14 January 2003

Television producer Steve Adamson has lived in Kennington since 1996. His one-bedroom flat has more than doubled in value, but he is worried about the impact of the charge on the local neighbourhood.

He says: "Living just inside the zone, I won't have to pay the full £5 daily charge and my property should nudge up in value. But roadworks have been going on for months. There's a labyrinth of pedestrian diversions and the traffic is now worse than ever. The latest upheavals have caused uncertainty on both sides of the divide. Some people are considering moving house and small businesses fear they may go bust.

"Even if, like me, you are a motorist living on the inside, there's a certain absurdity to it all. If I take the car to go shopping, I'll drive into Victoria. But my work takes me outside the zone into heavily congested areas like Clapham and Earl's Court."

As a zone resident, he has to pay £126 a year plus another £60 for a parking permit.

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