London’s unpopular Congestion Charge is spreading across the globe, with parts of New York set to charge motorists simply for driving.
A new $15 or £11.87 toll has been approved for use in areas in the New York borough Manhattan, with drivers being charged to enter its downtown district.
This would make New York City the first city in the United States to approve such a congestion toll, despite its unpopular nature.
Members of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) board gave the green light to the project on Wednesday, March 27.
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A similar Congestion Charge scheme will launch in New York later this year
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The new measures are expected to be rolled out in June, with charging expected to start at the same time.
Despite pushback from locals and other interest parties, the Authority rejected exceptions and pushed ahead with the measures.
The $15 toll will apply to most passenger vehicles that drive into Manhattan during daytime hours. It will apply south of 60th Street, which is south of Central Park, according to CNBC.
When driving through the zone at night, passenger vehicles will pay $3.75 or £2.97.
Trucks and some buses are expected to pay $24 (£19) or £36 (£28.50) during the day or $6 (£4.75) or $9 (£7.12) at night.
Motorcycle owners will pay $7.50 (£5.94) during the day and $1.75 (£1.39) at night.
Yellow taxi, green cab and black car passengers will pay a $1.25 (99p) toll for every trip to, from, within or through the zone. Customers of app-based for-hire vehicles will pay $2.50 (£1.98).
A 50 per cent discount will be available for low-income vehicle owners, in addition to a tax credit for low-income residents of the Central Business District.
Janno Lieber, Chair and CEO of the MTA, said: “Today’s vote is one of the most significant the Board has ever undertaken, and the MTA is ready.
“In advance of day one of tolling, we’ve increased service on 12 subway lines, advanced redesigns of the entire NYC bus network, and implemented the largest service increase in LIRR history.
“And there’s more to come with the funds raised from congestion pricing – more accessible stations, modernized subway signals, and new expansion projects like Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway and Metro-North Penn Station Access.”
London’s Congestion Charge was first introduced in 2003, with prices gradually rising as the scheme gained further scope, with drivers now paying a £15 daily charge.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The new measures are set to be introduced in June
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The Congestion Charge is active between 7am and 6pm between Monday and Friday and between 12pm and 6pm on weekends and bank holidays.
Londoners have reacted with fury to the growing number of road pricing schemes in place across the capital, with the addition of the Ultra Low Emission Zone which now covers all of Greater London.
Source Agencies
