Issued 7th February 2003
The congestion charge create could create its own road safety risks for the capital, warned the Institute of Advanced Motorists today (7 February 2003).
The prospect of drivers tempted to “text" from the wheel to pay their £5 fee while at the same time trying to overtake one of the new novice scooter riders is worrying enough said IAM Chief Examiner Bryan Lunn.
“But there is very real prospect of drivers deliberately failing to register their vehicle with the DVLA to avoid the congestion charge – one in five already do so. That’s in addition to the 40,000 vehicles a year who carry false plates to avoid being traced," said Mr Lunn.
“A lot of these drivers don’t bother with insurance and many do not even hold a driving licence. They are the same people who compromise road safety by racing through camera sites, and avoid the penalties for exceeding the speed limit or jumping the traffic lights. We are worried there will be far more of them after 17 February," he said.
Mr Lunn said the IAM, which has over 110,000 members, is concerned about some of the other road safety risks:
* Rat Running: TfL has admitted that 20 streets, many of them in residential areas, will carry an extra 200 vehicles an hour at peak time, leading to the prospect of more crashes and pedestrian injuries. Local authority moves to reduce displaced traffic are in hand, but will probably not be ready in time.
* Dangerous parking: vehicles left “creatively" on the edges of the scheme will make side roads potentially more difficult to negotiate
* “Phoney" drivers: Texting while at the wheel should be discouraged yet TfL are advertising it heavily. Other payment methods are less likely to tempt drivers to break the law.
“The Mayor has been quoted as saying it will be a very bloody few first days. I just hope he was talking metaphorically," said Mr Lunn.
ENDS
For further information, contact:
Vince Yearley, IAM Press Officer, 020 8996 9600
NR 03/04 Issued 7 February 2003
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