Ken's roadworks 'con'

Ken Livingstone's transport chiefs have arranged for almost a third of the roadworks causing gridlock in London to disappear dramatically prior to the congestion charge.

In what critics have branded a "con", officials have admitted that they will suspend the Mayor's roadwork's programme for two weeks before and six weeks after the introduction of the scheme.

Projects already under way should be completed and no new maintenance work will be commissioned.

The revelations have been seized upon by the Mayor's opponents as evidence that he orchestrated the gridlock to make his congestion charge seem more effective.

Steve Norris, widely expected to be the Tory mayoral challenger, said: "I smell a rat. Most Londoners always thought that this present nightmare was deliberate and now it looks as though they were right. This 'con' is an appallingly irresponsible way to treat London."

Angie Bray, the Conservative spokeswoman on the congestion charge at the London Assembly, said Mr Livingstone's Transport for London (TfL) organisation is being cynical. She said: "They will do anything to try to give the congestion charge the easiest run because they fear it may be a disaster. Many of the schemes already under way have been timed to end just before the charge starts."

John Biggs, Labour transport spokesman on the London Assembly, said: "It is up to Londoners to decide what Ken's motives are. Clearly TfL would be bonkers to embark on more schemes with congestion charging here but this will add to suspicions that the whole thing has been cynically manipulated."

The suspension of the maintenance programme will have a dramatic impact because between 20 and 30 per cent of London's roadworks come under the control of TfL. The body refused to reveal exactly how many sets of roadworks will cease.

It says halting roadworks is a prudent measure to help drivers acclimatise to the new arrangements. It says emergency work will still be carried out when necessary. "Londoners would agree that this is a sensible measure," said a spokesman. He denied that strategy was designed to to make the congestion charge seem more effective.