Support your hospital—have your say on the proposed abolition of the Western Extension of the Congestion Charging Zone

If you would like to support the proposed scrapping of the Western Extension of the Congestion Charging zone—which includes Chelsea and Westminster Hospital—you can have your say by taking part in a public consultation that runs until 2 August.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, recently published his new Transport Strategy which states that, subject to consultation, he will abolish the Western Extension with effect from 24 December 2010.

Trust Chief Executive, Heather Lawrence is writing personally to staff, elected representatives of patients and local residents on our Council of Governors, Foundation Trust members, and other key stakeholders to ask for their support.

She said: “The Western Extension is a financial burden for not only staff but also our patients and their visitors. The Trust lobbied the previous Mayor of London on behalf of staff and patients during the consultation process on the introduction of the Western Extension but to no avail.

“As a Trust we will be writing formally to the Mayor to support the proposed removal of the Western Extension because we believe that it unfairly disadvantages staff, patients and visitors to the hospital.

“For example, staff who live in an area poorly served by public transport or who work unsocial hours when public transport is not running, patients who are not well enough to use public transport, and visitors who live a long way from the hospital, all have no choice but to drive to the hospital and pay the Congestion Charge.

“Please support your hospital by taking part in the public consultation and registering your views—you can have your say online at www.cclondon.com.”

A statement has been prepared for use by anyone who wants to take part in the public consultation in support of the Trust’s position that the removal of the Western Extension will benefit staff, patients and visitors to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

The statement in full—or any part of it—can be used when responding to the public consultation online.

The deadline for responses to the public consultation is Monday 2 August.