• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

Would you address yourself to the question about passing on this tax?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

You don't make the usherettes pay to go to work in a cinema, do you?

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

The other group of people who have a really serious case for an exemption, which has probably not been well made because by definition they are not an organised group, are the people who live immediately adjacent to the congestion charging boundary. At the moment, they do not have the benefit of a discount, yet all established research shows that they will suffer from the displacement effect of additional traffic. Will you consider a scheme to offer some discount and relief to the people who live on and immediately against the congestion charge boundary - particularly where communities are split?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

Despite your warm words on this being a charge, we on this side regard congestion charging as a tax, and I want to know whether, after the tax has been imposed and the cost of living for all Londoners increased, you will then come to the Assembly and make a case for an increase in London allowances to help to cover the increased tax you have imposed on Londoners.

• Question by: Louise Bloom
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

I love it when the Tories get excited about buses - I do not think most of them have ever been on one. I get on buses every day, - and I would be prepared to wait 15 or 20 minutes for a night bus, incidentally; I think that is about right. We know that some people are not as keen on the congestion charge as others are, Ken, so, buses aside, my question is, how are you going to sell this to the people of London when it comes in? How are you going to provide information so that...

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

A 24-hour service, with 15 to 20-minute reliability, on all the night buses, across London, before you introduce the congestion charge?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

When are we going to have that, then?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

If you are saying that there have to be criteria, why can't you be specific? Is it 15 minutes, or 20?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

What is the criterion for "a reasonable time"?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

The increase in bus miles is likely to be significantly in areas which will not assist those who are applying for exemptions at the moment - those who have to work unsocial hours; those who have to get to the suburbs by difficult routes. I am seriously inquiring: what choice do you give those people to exercise in applying your price mechanism?