Congestion solutions should be local

9 Jun 05
Solutions to Britain's congestion problems are badly needed but should be locally designed and delivered, local government leaders have urged.

10 June 2005

Solutions to Britain's congestion problems are badly needed but should be locally designed and delivered, local government leaders have urged.

Commenting on Transport Secretary Alistair Darling's radical overhaul of road policy, David Sparkes, chair of the Local Government Association's environment board, said councils were keeping an open mind, provided any new policies were firmly rooted in evidence.

'Local circumstances vary considerably in relation to transport and any national initiative must have a local variation, preferably decided on and designed at a local level,' he said.

The government favours a road pricing scheme that would charge motorists up to £1.34 for every mile that they drive. In return, fuel duty would be cut and road tax abolished.

'You are certainly not talking about a charge on top of another charge,' Darling said. 'You can't have both.'

A Department for Transport feasibility study published last summer showed that a well-targeted scheme could reduce congestion by some 40%, via a 4% cut in traffic levels.

PFjun2005

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