1. What was the traffic problem in London? City centre traffic jams have been part of daily life for a long time. In central London, drivers spent fifty percent of their time in queues. 2. What is the solution of the problem? In February 2003 the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, introduced a “congestion charge”. 3. What is a congestion charge? A congestion charge is a tax for cars entering the centre of the city.