Talking to Tony Devenish AM on Mayor Khan's plans to make changes to the Congestion Charge permanent this morning, Nick Ferrari asked "Can I file this under I told you so".
You can watch their interview in full above or read a transcript below. Go to the TfL Public Consultation website before 6 October 2021 to have your say on plans to make the increase to £15 a day permanent, and to impose the charge on weekends.
Nick Ferrari explains
"And can I file this under I told you so? A 30% lift in the daily Congestion Charge for driving into central London will be made permanent. What a surprise. TFL had initially said the rise, which took it to £15, it was £11.50, was temporary back in June 2020, but now it will stay.
"The current charge of, sorry, the charge currently applies between 7:00 am and 10:00 pm every day, except Christmas day. The hours were extended during the pandemic, having previously run from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, only on weekdays.
"Under the proposal, the charge would return to those days, but would be payable on weekends. I'm sure the theatre industry delighted at this news.
"Tony Devenish is Conservative London Assembly Member for Hammersmith, Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, and Westminster, and joins me now. How are you and your Conservative colleagues reacting to this, Mr Devenish? Good morning.
Tony Devenish replies
"Good morning, Nick.
"Well, this is disgraceful, isn't it?
"As you say, it was temporary, we were promised, a year ago, it was temporary because of COVID and the need to do all the things Mr Khan always says we need to do.
"It's another broken promise, Nick.
"It's cynical, and this will really hurt London as we try and get back to normal post-COVID. And it's an insult to faith groups who've come into worship at weekends as well.
"The bit I really dislike, and there's lots of bits I dislike, is this keeping the charge at weekends. "It's a real kill-joy measure by Sadiq Khan, and it's going to damage our economic recovery, and he's got so many other things he can do. "He himself has said, this is a flabby TfL. He could stand up to the unions.
"Remember there's four tube strikes coming up this month. He could stand up to the unions. He could sort out TfL rather than charging hard working Londoners."
Go to the TfL Public Consultation website to find out more and have your say, before 6 October 2021.