Initiated in 2003, London's congestion charge system aims to reduce inner-city traffic and prevent pollution.

Source: World Resources Institute (2011) A Compilation of Green Economy Policies, Programs, and Initiatives from Around the World. The Green Economy in Practice: Interactive Workshop 1, February 11th, 2011

Initiated in 2003, London's congestion charge system aims to reduce inner-city traffic and prevent pollution. The system requires a daily charge for people driving within an eight-square-mile zone of central London. Revenues are used to support London's transport system. The zone was extended to parts of west London in 2007. Traffic delays inside the charging zone remain 30% lower than before charging was introduced.

The benefits are as follows:

• Improved human health due to improved outdoor air quality,
  
  
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions: there are 65,000 fewer car trips into or through the charging zone each day,
  
  
• Congestion charging contributes £ 50m to London's economy, mainly through quicker and more reliable journeys for road and bus users,
  
  
• Reduced traffic 21% below pre-charge levels (70,000 fewer cars per day),
  
  
• Improvements to public transportation system through charge collection.