Whether operators in London will benefit from the change of Mayor remains to be seen, but the industry does agree that a change of leader is welcome. David Sheppard, deputy head of transport for John Lewis, feels Boris Johnson will be a breath of fresh air: "The regime under Livingstone was getting stale so a change was certainly needed."
Roger King, chief executive of the RHA, says: "Ken Livingstone was clearly anti-trucks and didn't really understand the role of our industry - so hopefully
Boris will be more open-minded." If Johnson sticks by his pledges, operators should see a review of the LEZ, including the re-holding of a consultation on the Western extension a review of the Congestion Charge in 2009 and a rephasing of traffic lights to stay green for longer.
Reed Business Information Limited.©2009
