People living just outside the London congestion charge zone will find their streets turned into rat runs and their public transport overwhelmed, according to a new report.

The London Assembly's transport committee predicted that many streets in inner London, but outside the zone, would experience a rise of up to 200 cars an hour as drivers tried to avoid paying the charge.

It said that inner borough residents would also be forced off overcrowded public transport already full of people from the outer boroughs.

Assembly members say they are worried that the easing of congestion inside the zone will come at the expense of alienating Londoners outside it.

'Double whammy' effect

Camden Islington Ken and Chelsea Lambeth The City Tower Hamlets Wandsworth Westminster

The assembly members found that only one in four of the 165 schemes, which are planned to minimise the diversion of traffic on to unsuitable local roads, will be ready.

They also raise questions about whether enough of the planned extra buses will be in place by the time charging starts in February or whether they can soak up travellers forced off trains by overcrowding.

"For those living on the edge of the charging zone this amounts to a 'double whammy' - more overcrowding on trains to work and greater likelihood of 'rat running' in their local streets," the report warns.

Transport committee chair John Biggs said: "Alleviating congestion in central London will inevitably involve some disruption.

"It may, however, come at the cost of frustrating, inconveniencing and alienating large numbers of Londoners, and that is its greatest risk."