Consultants were on New Covent Garden Market this week carrying out a survey on behalf of Transport for London looking at the perceived impact of the congestion charge to be introduced in central London in February 2003 with a follow-up survey due next autumn.
The visit came a week after a surprise admission by London's mayor Ken Livingstone who said he would have 'quite happily excluded' commercial vehicles from the inner London congestion charge, which has been much maligned by London's wholesale markets.
The London markets have been critical of the congestion-charging scheme which is due to come into operation next year. Of the fresh produce markets only Borough actually lies within the charging zone, but New Covent Garden is on the edge with many deliveries inwards and outwards as well as customers having to pay the charge.
'We feel an exemption should be granted to market related transport and our views on that have not changed,' said Covent Garden Market Authority general manager Mike Liggins. And recent comments from the mayor that the charge of £5 may not be high enough to act as a deterrent have been met with further dismay. 'Raising the charge above £5 would strengthen our view that an exemption should be made for all market transport,' said Dr Liggins. 'Market transport is not going to be deterred as vehicles have to enter central London to make their deliveries. It will be no more than a tax on market transport.' And some traders fear that as the market is on the edge of the zone, congestion around the market will be greater as drivers seek alternative routes.
Meanwhile, the market area is already plagued by traffic disruption with the redevelopment of Vauxhall Cross.
The works are directly affecting traffic entering and leaving the market between midnight on Fridays and 5am on Mondays, while the hold-ups in the surrounding area have a knock-on effect on vehicles that have left the market.
'As far as we're concerned the major problem is that Transport for London has not seen fit at any stage to inform us or consult with us on any of these works,' said the CGMA's Helen Evans . 'We are the largest site of employment in the borough of Wandsworth and this is having a huge impact on the businesses here and their customers.
'Monday is one of our biggest trading days and Sunday night is therefore extremely busy with deliveries - but the roadworks have been in place until Monday at 5am.' The main entrance on Nine Elms Lane has been opened up as an exit route from 6.30am to midday, as the normal exit onto Vauxhall Cross has been snarled up on a regular basis. Diversions in the area are due to end on November 18, but there is no guarantee forthcoming from TfL that this date will not change. Meanwhile, all users of the market have been advised to approach and leave the market via Battersea.
