Community's new divide

With its high-rise council estates and Georgian squares, Kennington has always been a split community.

It is set for further division when Ken Livingstone's congestion charge scheme comes into being, for the charging boundary cuts straight through the community's heart.

Residents to the north of the boundary - like Alistair Darling, who lives in a quiet residential street - will be able to travel to central London virtually free because they come within the congestion charge zone and get a 90 per cent discount on the £5-a-day charge.

Less fortunate neighbours to the south will have to pay the charge in full when they make a similar journey.

They also fear a massive build-up of traffic along the road which they claim is far too small to act as the main boundary conduit for the area.

In Cleaver Square, which is home to MPs, High Court judges and a select few others who can afford the £1 million-plus houses, calls were growing today for Mr Darling to use his new-found status as Transport Secretary to make Mr Livingstone reconsider his plans. It would, they say, be an act of "neighbourliness".

Designer Stephen Pardy, 53, said: "The boundary road should be along Kennington Park Road; that would include Cleaver Square within the congestion charge zone, so you might expect us to say that, but it would seem like a much more sensible choice as it is a much bigger road. Mr Darling should at least encourage Ken [Livingstone] to have a public consultation on it."

Photographer David Chambers, 44, who lives in nearby Ravensdon Street - also outside the boundary - added: "All this is going to do at the moment is cut a divide right through Kennington and turn it into separate communities. Ken needs to be told to listen on this one. Hopefully Mr Darling will have to take notice if he lives round the corner."