Before the current Tory twat came in, the London Mayor’s office was committed to reducing the amount of cars in the capital.
With the congestion charge, Ken stuck his neck out: it’s not perfect but it did actually encourage just about any form of transport other than a car – buses, trains, tubes, bicycles and even motorbikes. A brave move and a rare one when ‘green’ issues are usually just platitudes and gestures.
The Tories in particular are trying to portray themselves as having green credentials, but it just doesn't wash: 'Bicycling Boris’ is actually trying to protect the Chelsea tractors of Knightsbridge from an extension of the congestion zone.
Now it seems Westminster Council are actively trying to undermine what little progress the congestion charge has made.
They phoned me up yesterday:
We’re trying to help local businesses with the problems of their staff commuting.
Excellent - what have you got in mind ?
Well how many of your staff drive to work ?
None of them.
None ?
Well a few of us ride motorcycles or scooters. Some ride push bikes. Everyone else uses public transport.
So you don’t have any vehicles for business use ?
We have two cycle couriers and one motorcycle courier
No company cars ?
No we haven’t given out company cars for years it’s irresponsible and there’s no valid business need. If we need to travel we use public transport or maybe hire a car.
I see. So I take it you wouldn’t be interested in our scheme to provide discounts to local businesses in Westminster Council car parks ?
No - but you might want to think about abolishing the parking charges for motorcycles and scooters that you only introduced this Summer.
(They couldn’t get off the phone quick enough).
No surprise though from a Tory council – this is them showing their true colours and defending the right of every yuppie wanker to drive his company car and bollocks to the consequences. Remember when Thatcher said “a man who finds himself on a bus at the age of 26 can consider himself a failure”?
With the congestion charge, Ken stuck his neck out: it’s not perfect but it did actually encourage just about any form of transport other than a car – buses, trains, tubes, bicycles and even motorbikes. A brave move and a rare one when ‘green’ issues are usually just platitudes and gestures.
The Tories in particular are trying to portray themselves as having green credentials, but it just doesn't wash: 'Bicycling Boris’ is actually trying to protect the Chelsea tractors of Knightsbridge from an extension of the congestion zone.
Now it seems Westminster Council are actively trying to undermine what little progress the congestion charge has made.
They phoned me up yesterday:
We’re trying to help local businesses with the problems of their staff commuting.
Excellent - what have you got in mind ?
Well how many of your staff drive to work ?
None of them.
None ?
Well a few of us ride motorcycles or scooters. Some ride push bikes. Everyone else uses public transport.
So you don’t have any vehicles for business use ?
We have two cycle couriers and one motorcycle courier
No company cars ?
No we haven’t given out company cars for years it’s irresponsible and there’s no valid business need. If we need to travel we use public transport or maybe hire a car.
I see. So I take it you wouldn’t be interested in our scheme to provide discounts to local businesses in Westminster Council car parks ?
No - but you might want to think about abolishing the parking charges for motorcycles and scooters that you only introduced this Summer.
(They couldn’t get off the phone quick enough).
No surprise though from a Tory council – this is them showing their true colours and defending the right of every yuppie wanker to drive his company car and bollocks to the consequences. Remember when Thatcher said “a man who finds himself on a bus at the age of 26 can consider himself a failure”?
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