The Metropolis

When does an 8% increase in traffic equal "fewer cars"? When the BBC cocks up its figures

Mike Pollitt | Friday 3 June, 2011 15:29

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The headline reads ‘Fewer cars’ as London congestion charge zone cut back. Except there aren’t fewer cars in the scrapped Western Congestion Zone, there are 8% more. Just because a rise is smaller than expected, that doesn’t mean it’s not a rise.

Fortunately, the Beeb’s Tom Edwards is a better journalist than the hapless hack behind the headline, because in his piece on the figures he nails it:

“The bottom line for drivers in that area is that it now takes longer to drive somewhere and there’s nearly 10% more traffic.”

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