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Trafficmaster sees new congestion hot spots developing across London

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London, March 14 -- As Trafficmaster continues to monitor routes in and out of London, results show that congestion charging is contributing to a dispersion of traffic and causing new congestion areas

Journeys into London are getting longer compared to the first day of charging and many are returning to pre-congestion charging times. However there is still a decrease on seven of the 12 routes monitored. The roads that have seen an increase in journey times look to be areas where drivers are either trying to avoid the charging zone or parking up and getting into the city via public transport.

With the dispersion of traffic, Trafficmaster predicts that new congestion hotspots will develop. Already Stoke Newington High Street and the roads around the Blackwall Tunnel approaches are showing signs of regular, lengthy tailbacks. The chart below shows average weekly journey time comparisons against equivalent weeks in 2002.

Routes into     2002 Average Average Journey        Average Average Journey
London          Journey time            time   Journey time            time
                                                                           
              2nd week March    % difference 2nd week of CC    % difference
                        2002  between week 1     commencing    between week
                                       of CC     24.02.2003     2 of CC and
                                and Feb half                Feb School Week
                                   term 2002                           2002
                                                                           
A1 Mill Hill            55.4    41% decrease          50.72    11% decrease
to Islington                                                               
                                                                           
A41 Mill                45.9    25% decrease          40.04     2% decrease
Hill,                                                                      
Five Ways to                                                               
Regents Park                                                               
                                                                           
A40/M Denham            62.8     2% increase             53    19% decrease
to Marylebone                                                              
                                                                           
A4 Langley,             60.8     2% decrease          53.82    12% decrease
Slough                                                                     
to Talgarth                                                                
Road                                                                       
                                                                           
A30 Stanwell            14.4     5% increase           15.6     3% increase
to                                                                         
Osterley                                                                   
                                                                           
A316 Sunbury            40.5     3% decrease           35.3    21% decrease
Cross to                                                                   
Ravenscourt                                                                
Park                                                                       
                                                                           
A3 Cobham to            61.7    11% increase           60.8    12% increase
Clapham                                                                    
                                                                           
A23 Hooley to           74.5   0.3% increase          69.72     8% increase
Brixton                                                                    
                                                                           
A20 Swanley             19.5     4% increase          20.04    16% decrease
to Eltham                                                                  
                                                                           
A2/A102                 50.3    15% decrease          40.64    17% decrease
Dartford to                                                                
Blackwall                                                                  
Tunnel                                                                     
                                                                           
A12 Harold                73    19% decrease           73.5     2% decrease
Wood to                                                                    
Blackwall                                                                  
Tunnel                                                                     
                                                                           
A10 Waltham               52    14% decrease             50     6% decrease
Cross                                                                      
to Stoke                                                                   
Newington                                                                  
                                                                           
Routes into          Average Average Journey        Average Average Journey
London          Journey time            time   Journey time            time
                                                                           
              3rd week of CC    % difference 4th week of CC    % difference
                  commencing  between week 3     commencing  between week 4
                  03.03.2003           of CC     03.03.2003       of CC and
                              and Feb School                    2nd week of
                                   Week 2002                     March 2002
                                                                           
A1 Mill Hill            51.1    10% decrease           51.6     7% decrease
to Islington                                                               
                                                                           
A41 Mill                41.4     1% increase           43.7     5% decrease
Hill, Five                                                                 
Ways                                                                       
to Regents                                                                 
Park                                                                       
                                                                           
A40/M Denham            56.3    14% decrease           58.7     6% decrease
to                                                                         
Marylebone                                                                 
                                                                           
A4 Langley,             55.3    10% decrease             58     5% decrease
Slough to                                                                  
Talgarth Road                                                              
                                                                           
A30 Stanwell              17    12% increase           22.7    57% increase
to Osterley                                                     (please see
                                                                      note)
                                                                           
A316 Sunbury            50.2    13% increase           49.2    21% increase
Cross to                                                        (please see
Ravenscourt                                                           note)
Park                                                                       
                                                                           
A3 Cobham to            59.5    10% increase           62.3     1% increase
Clapham                                                                    
                                                                           
A23 Hooley to           71.2    11% increase           68.8     8% decrease
Brixton                                                                    
                                                                           
A20 Swanley             19.1    20% decrease           21.3     9% increase
to Eltham                                                                  
                                                                           
A2/A102                 49.5     1% increase           45.8     9% decrease
Dartford to                                                                
Blackwall                                                                  
Tunnel                                                                     
                                                                           
A12 Harold              73.4     2% decrease          67.08     8% decrease
Wood to                                                                    
Blackwall                                                                  
Tunnel                                                                     
                                                                           
A10 Waltham             60.6    14% increase          61.18    18% increase
Cross                                                                      
to Stoke                                                                   
Newington

Please note: These average journey times are slightly skewed as there were majors incidents on one day in the week on these routes

http://www.trafficmaster.co.uk/

Trafficmaster Plc Telephone: +44 (0) 1234 759315 Fax: +44 (0) 1234 759318 Email: georgina.osborn@trafficmaster.co.uk