The London congestion charge. Please explain 2 things I don't understand?

Question

1) Why is it, that for a CONGESTION charge, if you have a low/ zero emmision car, you don't have to pay as much or anything?
Shouldn't it be a Low Carbon Charge?

2) Do people just pay the fare anyway? I was talkin to a taxi driver when we went down there (we live in Durham) and he said at the start it was quieter, but now people just pay it.
Is that right?

Answer 1

Hi Brill,
I am a Geordie now living just north of London, and I don't understand the thing either.
You can switch your hybrid car from petrol to electric through the cameras.
I have seen someone getting his mates to push the item down the road, over the red strip, then leap back in.
I think that you are correct in thinking that apart from the dodges, most folks just consider it a fact of life, and pay up.
Traffic in central London is as tricky as it ever was, so it is just a money-grabber in my book.
Let us hope that it doesn't arrive in Durham !
Cheers,
Bob

Answer 2

1) it's called a congestion charge because the vast majority of people realize that traffic and transportation are real problems today that need to be fixed immediately, so they call it that because most people can relate to it, other than a carbon charge, which is the real purpose of the charge, because climate change is a slow progression that's hard to see the effects of immediately

2) If you have enough money, then you probably just do pay the charge, but I personally, wouldn't want to pay $15 everytime and went downtown plus what is costs to park. It is estimated that 20,000 automobiles are taken off the road because of the charge, and those people instead use the mass transit system which is much better for the environment. This congestion charge has proven to be successful, and now New York City is looking into doing the same thing. It has a negligible impact on the economy in the congestion zone as well

Answer 3

Actually (to keep Bob the Boat right) I am also from Durham and he should know that Durham city were the first in the country to introduce a congestion charge to reduce the amount of traffic travelling towards Palace Green by the Cathedral. It consists of a hydraulic pole which rises from the middle of the road and to date there have been more than 800 vehicles damaged by it. No doubt the council will consider this a success.

Answer 4

It's a tax to raise money for Red Ken, who hates cars. The exemption for hybrids &c. is a sop to make it look a green initiative. However it has reduced the volume of traffic in central London and made it a much more pleasant place th visit on foot.