PRESS RELEASE

13 February 2002

OTTAWAY SAYS LONDON'S CONGESTION CHARGE WILL COST RSPCA £5000 PER YEAR

Richard Ottaway, Conservative MP for Croydon South, has given his support to a Parliamentary Motion calling for an exemption from the congestion charge for the RSPCA. This follows the first stage of consultation on plans for the congestion charge in London which did not recommend any exemption for RSPCA operational vehicles.

Richard Ottaway says:-

"It has been calculated that failure to exempt the RSPCA from the congestion charge could lead to a potential cost of more than £5000 per year to the charity."

"This is yet another example of how the Mayor's ill-thought out plans to introduce congestion charging will seriously impact upon the work of an organisation whose good work many of us take for granted. I call on the Mayor to offer a 100 per cent exemption to RSPCA vehicles".

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