Mayor to order £6m C-charge surveys

Ken Livingstone is to spend £6million investigating the impact of the congestion charge.

He is commissioning two major studies - at a cost of up to £3 million each - one looking at its continuing effect on Londoners and the other the city's businesses and visitors.

They will also consider the impact of the proposed west London extension.

Karen Buck, Labour MP for Regent's Park and Kensington North, said she supported the extension in principle.

But she added: "The extension raises questions the central scheme didn't - how big it should be, what should be in and what should be out."

Dr Gordon Taylor, chairman of the West London Residents' Association, said: "It raises the question why they're thinking of proceeding when they don't know what's happening in the existing zone."

A Transport for London spokesman said the surveys would continue existing monitoring and were value for money.