Barnet Council’s leader has weighed into a row over the decision to hike the Congestion Charge.

Cllr Dan Thomas has written to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan calling on him to ditch plans to increase the costs and operating times of the charge, warning it is “bad for the residents of Barnet”.

But a spokesperson for the Mayor said Cllr Thomas should “speak to the Government”, claiming the changes come as a result of a £1.6 billion rescue package agreed with Transport for London (TfL).

The Congestion Charge – which applies to vehicles travelling into a central London zone – was reintroduced on May 18 following a temporary suspension during the pandemic. Its cost is set to rise from £11.50 to £15 per day on June 22, while its hours of operation will be extended.

In the letter to the mayor, dated June 3, Cllr Thomas claims the changes will push people onto public transport – where is hard to stay socially distant – and harm tradespeople who use private vehicles, such as electricians and plumbers.

Cllr Thomas (Conservative, Finchley Church End) said: “Sadiq Khan has decided to increase Congestion Charge hours and prices – putting the lives of Londoners at risk.

“The Government have advised that people should avoid public transport where possible, and yet the Mayor’s plans to raise the charge in these ways will push people onto buses and the Tube.

“As leader of the council, it is difficult to watch as Sadiq Khan makes decisions that put my residents back in harm’s way. I implore him to scrap his plans to increase the Congestion Charge”.

One of the conditions of the Government’s £1.6 billion rescue package for TfL – agreed on May 14 after the transport body’s finances were hit during the pandemic – is that TfL agrees to “the immediate reintroduction of the London Congestion Charge, LEZ and ULEZ and urgently bring forward proposals to widen the scope and levels of these charges”.

After the agreement was announced, Mr Khan said it was not the deal he wanted but it was “the only deal the Government put on the table, and I had no choice but to accept it”.

Conservatives including London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey subsequently claimed Mr Khan was responsible for increasing the charge – a view shared by Cllr Thomas, who said the decision “was one made solely by the Mayor, as was the decision to bring this change in so quickly”.

Responding to the council leader’s comments, a Mayor of London spokesperson said: “The Government asked TfL to bring forward plans to increase the scope and level of the Congestion Charge as a condition of the recent funding deal.

“If Cllr Thomas doesn’t like it, he needs to speak to the Government. TfL is continuing to work through the specific details of the proposal as quickly as possible.”

TfL says it is continuing its efforts to increase transport services back to their pre-pandemic levels. It has also introduced a range of safety measures designed to protect passengers, such as hand sanitizer points and “rigorous” cleaning of buses, trains and stations.

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: “We are working constructively with TfL on ways to reduce demand on the network during the Covid-19 crisis.

“We have also published clear advice that urges people to avoid public transport if possible, and announced £2 billion in funding to encourage even more people to begin cycling and walking.”