C-charge bonus for bikes

London’s Congestion Charge is to rise from £5 to £8 this summer – offering even greater incentive for car drivers to switch to two wheels.

The current £5 levy for cars has already seen a boom in bike use in London and motorcycles remain exempt from the charge – including the 60% rise.

There will be discounts for those who pay monthly or who prepay.

Plans to extend the C-charge zone to include Westminster and Chelsea have been put off until at least 2008.

The charge has seen a 30% reduction in traffic in central London.