I've always been pretty much in favour of the London Congestion Charge. It seems a good idea to charge cars driving into the centre and has worked wonders at reducing the insane traffic levels in town. Of course, there are always a few people who are hit unfairly by ideas like this, but the general principle, is, I feel, a good one.

In two weeks' time, the charging zone if to be extended from the central London area (which is sensible) to West London, including Kensington, Shepherd's Bush and Chelsea. I wonder if Ken Livingstone has thought this through? Anyone living within the zone qualifies for an 80% discount, so suddenly all the Bentley and Merc owners of Kensington and Chelsea will suddenly get a massive discount. What are they going to do? Why, drive to work of course. Central London braces itself for a fresh tsunami of gas-guzzling, bullbar-wielding Chelsea Tractors. Super!

Closer to home, however, I am rather annoyed by a detail on the map. Transport for London has seen fit to add on a particularly irritating sticky-out bit at the top, a sort of peninsula of addiional charging which in my local experience will prove counter-productive. It covers the area between the Westway and the Harrow Road, aspirationally referred to as North Kensington. It is also plonked right between me and my work.

I rarely drive to work - I'm not important enough to qualify for a coveted parking permit - but manage to wangle one off a friend about once a month, just to keep the old banger ticking over. The route I usually take is from Kilburn, down Chamberlayne Road, across Barlby Road (N.B. which is never congested) to White City.

To avoid the congestion charge therefore my options are:

• go along the Harrow Road, which is always congested; and as it now runs around the outer perimeter of the charging zone, this is likely to become even worse
• drive down the Edgeware Road, ironically into central London, and out along the Westway, causing more congestion and pollution in the centre.

An astounding piece of bad planning if ever I saw one. Is there a conspiracy to keep me off the roads? It certainly seems tailor-made!