PR firm defends massive payment for London traffic advice

Transport for London is paying PR company Fishburn Hedges a staggering ?100,000 a month for advice on how to introduce London mayor Ken Livingstone's controversial congestion charge.

Fishburn Hedges stands to rake in more than ?2.4m over two years from the account, but the agency says it is offering value for money.

The agency's work forms part of TfL's plan to spend ?20m promoting the proposed charge over the next two years.

Fishburn Hedges was hired by TfL in December 2000 and expects to continue working on the account until the congestion charge's expected introduction at the beginning of 2003.

The agency is consulting London boroughs and interested parties, such as disabled people, about the charge.

Two Fishburn Hedges staff have been seconded to TfL to work full-time on the project while six other staff are dedicating most of their time to the account.

"We went through a through and lengthy competitive tender process for this account and TfL, and we, believe they are getting value for money for what we are doing," said Ron Finlay, director of the agency.

But he refused to either confirm or deny the ?100,000 figure, saying the charge was commensurate with the scale of the project.

"We are consulting with stakeholders and the public, and if it goes ahead we will manage all communications thereafter, making the public aware of how the charge will work."

TfL is preparing to put out a tender for an advertising agency to create a ?20m campaign to tell people how the charge works.