The western extension of London's congestion charging zone will be scrapped, says Mayor of London Boris Johnson.
The shock decision comes after a five-week informal consultation of Londoners, which found that 67% of individuals and 86% of businesses wanted the new zone removed.
"Londoners have spoken loud and clear," said Johnson, who's already ordered a formal process for getting rid of the extension.
The need for further public consultations means that the western charging area, brought in by former mayor Ken Livingstone in Feb 2007, can't go before spring 2010.
Johnson's announcement has been slammed by green groups, with the Campaign for Better Transport warning that "traffic will grow again and congestion and carbon emissions with it".
And Labour's Val Shawcross called the move "a foolish and backward step" that would cut the city's transport funds by £70 million a year.
But anti-congestion charge campaigners are celebrating.Chris Prior of the Stop Congestion Charging Party told elephant.co.uk news: "This is very good news for Londoners.
"The congestion charge is a failed policy that must be scrapped in the central zone as well."
