New York was planning to introduce a congestion charging system. Drivers would pay as much as $15 to enter central Manhattan. The tolls would have raised as much as $1billion for the MTA – the public transport authority – but was strongly opposed by commuters from New Jersey.

Now democrat New York Governor Kathy Hochul has reversed her previous stance and has suspended the planned implementation. She said: “now is ‘not the right time’ to inflict the sky-high tolls on New Yorkers who are already struggling to make ends meet, she said the plan will be tabled indefinitely”.

Comment: This is a sensible decision as congestion charging never works. It never achieves the stated objective of reducing traffic congestion. It didn’t in London which is still one of the world’s worst cities for traffic delays. Despite what TfL and Mayor Sadiq Khan claims, it has not been a success.  See https://www.freedomfordrivers.org/congestion . The New York Governor has made a sensible decision. Perhaps she has looked at the evidence.

More information: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12810455/Manhattan-congestion-toll-pricing-MTA-raise-money.html ; and: https://www.msn.com/en-my/news/other/hochul-reverses-manhattan-congestion-pricing-plan/ar-BB1nH3oL?

Roger Lawson

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Drivers_London

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