What the charge will mean for business

230 cameras will monitor drivers in the charge zone

On February the 17th drivers will be faced with paying a new charge of £5 if they enter the congestion charge area in central London.

The scheme is being introduced in an attempt to reduce traffic flow in London where the average speed is less than 10 miles per hour.

In today's instalment of our series 'Toll Tales' we'll be looking at the effect the congestion charge will have on business.

Breakfast's Max Foster was at New Covent Garden Market. He talked to Dr Mike Liggins from the Covent Garden Markets Authority. And to Julia Lalla-Maharajh, the Director of Transport, London First.

Click here to watch this discussion.

And If you run a business that will be affected by the charge, we want to hear from you

Click here to e-mail us with your views

Breakfast spoke to a trader at Convent Garden Market who says it will cost him thousands of pounds in charges.

Click here to see our report

Danny Murphy runs a company called Chef's Connection based in London's New Covent Garden Market supplying restaurants and hotels in and around the capital.

The charge could put Danny Murphy out of business

He thinks it is unfair that businesses will have to pay the charge which will cost some thousands of pounds. He says "Why charge people that have to run their business from London... we've still got to be in London to deliver to restaurants".

Danny Murphy's problems are complicated by the fact that his staff start work in the early hours of the morning when there isn't much in the way of public transport available. The congestion charge will cost him £25'000 a year which he says is impossible and could put him out of business.

Well if you want to see a map of the congestion charging area, the link below will take you to BBC LDN's extensive coverage of this issue.

Click here to go to the interactive maps

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK

To have your say, e-mail us at [e-mail]

Send us your comments:
Name:

Your E-mail Address:

Town/City:

Commenting on:

Comments: