Bloomberg, Pulse

Here we were led to believe that people in London loved congestion pricing. Or not:

At the polling station in St Peter’s Church, Eaton Square, Belgravia, central London, the congestion charge appeared to be the key factor in deciding which box voters will choose for their cross.

Louise Petano, 29, a mother of one, said she wanted Conservative Boris Johnson to win but thought the result would be too close to call.

“Congestion charge is the main factor that I am voting on today. This is going to affect young families like mine.

“People didn’t care as much about it at the last election, but the bureaucracy and political changes the mayor has brought into place since then has been far greater than before. All the people I know who can vote, are all coming out this time.”

. . .

At Walnut Tree Walk primary school in Kennington, south London, shop assistant Mary Hickey, 58, had just voted Conservative.

She said: “Last time I voted for Ken Livingstone but I can’t do it again. I think Boris is going to win. Mine wasn’t a vote for the Conservatives; I genuinely think Boris is a better man for the job. I don’t like the congestion charge and I don’t like the people he associated with abroad.”

Sonia Calheiros, 31, an administrator said she also voted for Johnson because the situation in London was “getting worse.” She said: “It’s getting harder to lead a decent life in London. Everything is so expensive, housing, public transport, congestion charge, and Ken Livingstone does nothing to help.”

Adnan Yildiz, 58, a hotel caterer, said: “I voted for Ken twice before, I have been in the unions for 40 years but I have just voted for Boris Johnson. It felt very strange ticking the Conservative box.

“I feel like Ken has taken away my freedom with the congestion charge. It hasn’t solved the traffic problem and is only hurting the poor because the rich can afford to pay no matter what it is.

“He is wasting so much money, there was the American transport commissioner who did nothing, and there’s all the foreign trips that he makes to India and South America.”

Not the last word? Hmm . . .