The Impact of the Congestion Charging Scheme on Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollutants Emissions in London

On February 17, 2003, a Congestion Charging Scheme (CCS) along with traffic management measures was introduced in central London, operating Monday to Friday, 07:00 to 18:00. On February 19, 2007, the Congestion Charging Zone (CCZ) was extended westward, covering additional 2.6% of the Greater London area. Transport for London claimed that the CCS helped to reduce 18% of the traffic volume and 30% of the traffic congestion in its first year operation. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the Congestion Charging Scheme on greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollutants emissions. In order to examine such impacts, the research will compare the emission volume changes of greenhouse gas and air pollutants before and after the CCS.