Majority of British favour road charging over car tax

15 October 2008

Sixty per cent of the UK population believes road-user charging is fairer than car tax, according to a new poll commissioned by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).

The survey also revealed that 83% of the 3,000 respondents would happily use their cars less, if public transport was improved. And 50% believed a national RUC system would make them use their cars less.

Adam Stilwell, chair of the ICE’s transport board, said the poll demonstrated the public’s willingness to consider new options to combat congestion and climate change. ‘Road-user charging is by no means a silver bullet, but may need to be part of a mix of initiatives which starts shifting the costs of motor transport on to actual journeys, allowing people to make sensible choices about how they travel.

‘If this is offset by reductions in fixed costs, such as vehicle excise duty, there is a good chance it will be acceptable to the public.’

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