Construction logistics firm Wilson James has called for contractors to pool resources to reduce the burden of the London congestion charge.
The firm, which is working on the highly complex Paternoster Square office scheme in the City, said central London contractors should share lorries.

Wilson James director Gary Sullivan said: "Contractors should look at using a common resource vehicle. Instead of several smaller, individual lorries doing three to four journeys you could have one big one doing three or four. They should look to co-operate to save themselves money. It's a way of getting back at Ken."

Sullivan said that although he sympathised with smaller contractors incurring high costs with the charge, he did not think the charge would be scrapped.

He said: "It's highly likely to stay – therefore we should try to see how we can use it to our best advantage. There is a great opportunity for the contractors to drive through better planning with the charge."

Sullivan added that the charge could improve the efficiency of construction logistics in central London by reducing traffic jams. He said: "One of the biggest problems on sites is the inaccuracy over scheduling deliveries. Fewer traffic jams could help this."

Sullivan's call to the industry came as it emerged that London mayor Ken Livingstone was considering expanding the levy zone to include Kensington and Chelsea and Tower Hamlets.

Livingstone said this week he was hoping to use income from the charge – which he estimates will be £160m in the first year – to finance transport projects such as CrossRail.