This article is more than 5 months old

This article is more than 5 months old

All road charging schemes in London are to be suspended to help critical workers move around the capital during the coronavirus crisis.

Transport for London (TfL) said the congestion charge, ultra-low emission zone and low emission zone would stop operating from Monday until further notice.

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The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, asked for the suspension to ensure critical workers, such as NHS staff, could get around easily. The move will also help ensure supply chains, including for supermarkets, could continue, as well as keeping roads clear for emergency vehicles.

With some tube stations being closed and the government asking people to limit social contact, driving to work was the “simplest option” for many critical workers, TfL said.

Emphasising government advice to avoid unnecessary travel, it asked drivers to consider “the wider implications” when thinking about using their vehicles.

Khan said: “This is not an invitation to take to your cars. To save lives we need the roads clear for ambulances, doctors, nurses and other critical workers. This is an unprecedented time and I know Londoners are doing everything they can to look after each other.”

NHS workers will also be given a code that waives the 24-hour access fee for the capital’s Santander Cycles scheme. Any journey under 30 minutes will be free, with docking stations near hospitals prioritised to ensure a regular supply of bikes.

Meanwhile it was announced that the Emirates Air Line – the east London cable car built on the instructions of Boris Johnson when he was London mayor – will stop operating indefinitely from Saturday.