Thread by @ShaunBaileyUK

To be clear, it was @SadiqKhan's decision, and his alone, to increase the Congestion Charge from £11.50 to £15, and expand it to 7 days a week.

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theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/m…

The Department for Transport have confirmed that the government did not force @SadiqKhan or TfL to raise the congestion charge as a condition of approving the bailout.

To suggest they did, is a lie.

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Even a spokesman for the Mayor of London said today that the government and Khan agreed that the charge should be reviewed, but that it was the mayor’s decision to increase it.

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I believe that this was a mistake.

Raising and expanding the congestion charge will punish businesses, at a time when London needs to be leading our economic recovery.

And it will encourage more people to use public transport, at a time when capacity is limited.

Londoners should not be punished for the Mayor's financial negligence.

There are more than enough savings to be found within the Mayor's budget without needing to hike up the Congestion Charge.

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