Road charging comes at a price, says LGA

03 October 2007

The viability of road-pricing schemes depends on investment in public transport to provide alternatives to driving, council leaders have told the Government.

The Local Government Association has written to the Department for Transport saying it backs road pricing, but warns that schemes will not work in some parts of the country because public transport in its current state doesn’t offer drivers good enough alternatives.

Town halls are also concerned that money on offer for the first round of road-charging trials is unlikely to be enough. While £1.4bn has been set aside for all potential schemes, Manchester alone estimates the cost of introducing an effective road-pricing scheme could top £3bn. Allowing councils to borrow money against revenue raised from road pricing would be an effective way of allowing councils to invest in better public transport.

The LGA is calling for an overhaul of public transport which would allow councils to step in to develop a genuinely-integrated transport system that would link all kinds of public transport. This would allow rail and bus services to link up more effectively and give councils the power to step in to guarantee bus services. A report sent from the LGA to the DfT said: ‘We welcome the increased flexibility for local authorities to introduce road-pricing schemes, and argue that the Bill needs to give local authorities the financial and legal levers to put in place the significant transport improvements that will be required. We look forward to working with DfT to ensure the ambitions of the Bill will be delivered in practice.’

Cllr David Sparks, LGA spokesperson on transport added: ‘Councils want to be able to make road pricing work. But, it would be grossly unfair to force people out of their cars if there are not enough viable alternatives.’ ‘Local schemes represent a real opportunity to cut jams and help fight climate change, but they won’t work unless more money is put into public transport now. This isn’t just about local government demanding more money from Whitehall,’ he added.

Allowing councils to borrow against the revenue raised by road pricing would mean that significant amounts could be ploughed back into bringing public transport up to scratch, according to Sparks.

Any scheme needed to convince local people that the benefits of road pricing would outweigh the costs. ‘Ministers need to loosen their grip and devolve transport funding and powers to allow councils to connect rail, bus and tram routes to deliver a genuine door-to-door transport system.’

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Road charging comes at a price, says LGA

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