Drivers are paying “far more” in car taxes across London despite seeing very little value for money on the roads, an industry body has warned.
The London Assembly has stated that drivers across the capital are being slapped with huge costs even though the backlog for road repairs has reached a critical level.
According to the assembly, the overall maintenance backlog for roads in the city is £1.9billion despite drivers paying Vehicle Excise Duty, Ulez fees and the Congestion Charge.
The report highlighted how the new Labour Government has made slow progress with fixing the capital's traffic problems, stating it is at “unacceptable” levels.
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London Assembly has called on central Government to share VED taxes
PAElly Baker from the London Assembly said: “London should see a fair funding settlement for our roads.
“Londoners currently pay far more than they get out of transport budgets, which has worsened as a result of the previous Government’s cuts to TfL and local authorities.
“We’ve been left with a legacy of closed roads, blocked-off bridges and thousands of potholes – all of which will cost millions to repair.”
The group has called on Sadiq Khan and the Chair of the Assembly to request a fair funding settlement to help tackle the road maintenance backlog.
The 2022 State of the City report from London Councils found that the capital has an overall maintenance backlog totalling £1.9billion.
It also has an annual maintenance funding gap of £275million, meaning the backlog is likely to increase unless additional funding is provided but this could be in the form of new taxes.
This year alone, TfL announced it was looking at imposing a new levy on the Blackwall tunnel and Silvertown tunnel when it opens in 2025.
The new costs would help offset the high-profile road maintenance issues that have still not been fixed and contribute to traffic and congestion across the capital.
This includes the maintenance project on the Hammersmith Bridge which has been closed to road traffic since 2019 and Broadmead Road Bridge, which has been shut to traffic for nine months.
However, the Assembly noted that London boroughs and TfL saw “significant cuts” to their budgets since 2010 under the previous Conservative Government.
Now to help tackle the problem, the Assembly has called on Mayor Sadiq Khan and the Chair of the Assembly to separately write to the Government to request for long-term funding to help tackle the road maintenance backlog.
As part of this, the assembly has asked that London drivers' share of the VED tax be given to TfL and used for road maintenance.
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London roads are in a £275million funding gap
PAAssembly member Keith Prince said at the recent meeting: “£500million is collected each year by the vehicle centre in Swansea and that money is then given to Highways England and the problem there is that Highways England do not spend their money in the capital that money is spent around the rest of the country.
“Money spent on highways is devolved to the Greater London Authority and to the actual burrowers so what I am suggesting is everybody sign the letter to ask the Government that we can have our money back please if you don't mind.”
