Green groups have lambasted Hammersmith and Fulham Council for conducting a "totally unrepresentative" consultation on the future of the expanded Congestion Charge zone.
Jenny Jones, Greater London Authority (GLA) member for the Green Party, said the 78 per cent in favour of scrapping the western extension was "worthless" as it
reflects the views of just 553 respondants to an online consultation. "This is pure politicking by a council which is responding to a strong lobby group in its borough," she said. "In reality this an insignificant percentage given there are more than 100,000 residents in the borough. The real indicator will be the Mayor of London's consultation in the autumn."
But the pro-C-Charge lobby has been braced for disappointment ever since the London Mayor repeatedly attacked the C-Charge as a 'blunt instrument' during his election campaign.
Many west London Tories expect Mr Johnson to, at the very least, reshape the charging zone.
City Hall is running a five-week consultation from September and residents, businesses and retailers within or near the border of the extended zone have the chance to put their views across. A landslide turnout against the extended zone is widely expected.
Greeting H&F's consultation Gordon Taylor of the West London Residents Association (WLRA) said: "We have 14,000 members and the overwhelming majority want the extension scrapped. It is losing money, has no environmental benefit and is damaging the local economy. We did not ask for it, it has not worked and it needs to be scrapped."
Council mandarins are against the charge labelling it "west London's invisible Berlin Wall".
GLA member Jones conceded the 'scrap it' lobby is strong and likely to push the agenda.
"I think many of those who favour the extension do so quietly and are unlikely to respond to consultation. I hope I'm wrong but those who hate the charge are more vocal than those who believe it has helped cut congestion," she said.
The success of car charging in the capital was further undermined this week, after Transport for London admitted London's roads are as clogged as before the levy was introduced in 2003.
TfL also found there had been no improvement in congestion in the extended zone.
Experts say congestion would be far worse without the C-Charge, but the findings will boost calls to overhaul the car charging system.
Boris Johnson indicated he is willing to re-phase traffic lights in favour of cars, allow motorbikes in bus lanes and to take on Thames Water and other firms who dig up London's roads for months on end in a bid to beat the gridlock.
