Despite the doubts, and despite complaints from shop owners, London's congestion charge-introduced in February 2003-has managed to ease the gridlock in the city centre. Traffic is down by 18%, jams by 30%. The scheme's biggest weakness is that it is crude: drivers pay £8 ($14) to enter the zone between 7am and 6.30pm, regardless of how congested the roads are, or how long they stay.
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