A leading rabbi has warned that government proposals to extend the congestion charge zone to the North Circular Road will “significantly impact on those outside the boundary being able to engage in the rich Jewish life they can currently enjoy”.
Rabbi Josh Levy, of Alyth Gardens synagogue in Golders Green, spoke out after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps was revealed to have written to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to demand he accepts a package of measures including higher council tax, a much larger congestion charge zone and higher tube and bus fares in return for rescue funding.
The minister also urged the mayor to extend the £15 Congestion Charge Zone to the North and South Circular roads in one year’s time.
There is now growing concern within the community that if implemented, the proposals would cut off an area such as Hendon off from Golders Green, and Temple Fortune from Finchley.
It would also leave those travelling into the area by car to visit families or attend synagogue services having to pay £15 to make the journey.
Rabbi Levy told the JC: “In normal times we expect hundreds of visitors from both sides of the North Circular to come to our building during the week for a variety of classes, support groups and services throughout the day and evening.
“So we are clearly concerned that a proposal of this sort will impact significantly on those outside the boundary being able to engage in the rich Jewish life they can currently enjoy - as well as preventing them from providing support to other members of the community, visiting family and friends, and accessing important resources including kosher shops.
“While we understand the financial challenges behind this proposal, it is important that the huge potential impact on communal and religious life not be ignored.”
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson blamed the mayor for “bankrupting” the capital when asked about the proposal in the House of Commons.
The mayor later accused the PM of having “lied” when he told the Commons he had “effectively bankrupted TFL even before the coronavirus hit.”
Mr Khan had been seeking a £4.9bn settlement for the next 18 months to bail out TfL, whose passenger numbers and revenues have shrunk during the pandemic.
The government gave an initial six-month package worth £1.6bn to the transport authority in May.
The board of TfL held a crunch meeting on the proposals on Wednesday, with the mayor saying ministers aim to impose a "triple whammy" of measures in return for rescue funding.
A petition, already signed by many in the community objecting to the proposals, had attracted over 73,000 signatories on Change.org by Wednesday.
One signatory of the petition, Jerry Lewis, ex senior vice president of the Board of Deputies, told the JC: “It is disgraceful that yet again the government is forcing Londoners to pay a very heavy price in contrast to the cities they are now bailing out.
“If this ridiculous proposal were to be implemented the effect on the Jewish community either side of the North Circular is likely to be horrendous.
“How could elderly people wishing to visit relations in any of the Jewish homes inside the zone and who have been told not to use public transport be able to afford £15 to go into the newly created proposed zone?”
A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: "We have agreed an extension to the support period and to roll over unspent funding from the Transport for London Extraordinary Funding Agreement, allowing further time for negotiations for a new settlement.
"These discussions will ensure London has a safe, reliable network. It would be inappropriate to disclose further details at this stage."
A spokesperson for Mr Khan added: “Negotiations with the government continue, but suffice it to say there is simply no way any mayor could accept conditions of this nature, which would make it harder to tackle the virus and choke off London’s economic recovery at the worst possible time.”
