Road charging creeps closer

Date: 01 December 2006   |   Author: John Mahoney

Road charging has taken a step closer to fruition today as a Government-commissioned report declared tolls could bring £28bn a year benefits to bus and rail and cut congestion by half.

The investigation carried out by former British Airways chief Sir Rod Eddington called for better use of the existing networks rather than investing in costly high-speed rail-links.

Sir Rod took the opportunity in his findings to openly criticise current management of transport by damning it as inefficient and disjointed, warning that road pricing should only be implemented following a proper testing in a pilot scheme.

Road charging is expected to be welcomed cautiously by the business community, so long as VED is abolished, charging remains tax neutral and the reduction in congestion is tangible.

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