BBC
Friday, December 1, 2006
Motorists should be asked to pay to drive on the nation's road
network, a report commissioned by the government has recommended.
Former British Airways chief Sir Rod Eddington has examined options
for modernising the UK transport network.
He has reported that road tolls could bring £28bn a year
of benefits to bus and rail users.
With road charging, drivers would pay more to use roads when
they were busy or more congested.
If road charging was introduced, the government would be able
to examine the option of whether it could raise enough revenue
to replace fuel duty and the car tax disc.
Fundraiser
Road charges could cut congestion by half, Sir Rod said in the
report commissioned by Chancellor Gordon Brown.
Grand projects like high-speed rail links were less important
than using existing networks better, he added.
Smaller projects, including an expansion of the UK cycle network,
received strong backing.
But Sir Rod warned the new technology would be hard to implement.
"Road pricing on this scale is new and at this stage has
unknown implementation costs," Sir Rod said in the report.
"There are very significant risks and uncertainties involved
in delivering a pricing policy, particularly around the technology
needed for its delivery."
The government announced the transport study in 2005 as part
of an effort to examine the long-term impact of transport decisions
on the UK economy.
Sir Rod has examined the possibilities for road pricing, road
building, rail and airport investment, as well as the planning
system.
His report identifies three strategic transport priorities - congested
and growing city catchments, "inter-urban" corridors
and important international gateways showing signs of congestion
and unreliability.
Such gateways include Heathrow Airport where 28% of flights are
delayed by more than 15 minutes - some of the worst delays in
the EU.
The report concludes that the potential benefits of charging
motorists for using roads will outweigh the costs of the scheme.
Road charges will put some people off driving entirely, cut congestion
and carbon emissions and could raise up to £16bn a year
in payments, Sir Rod says.
Sir Rod's report also says:
The UK has a greater proportion of its population connected to
the strategic road and rail networks than European competitors
Management of transport is very inefficient and disjointed in
UK - especially for buses
Road pricing should only be rolled out after proper testing on
pilot schemes
Policy should be focused on improving the performance of existing
transport networks in those places that are important for the
UK's economic success
Many of the recommendations are in line with government thinking,
but have now received the backing of a respected businessman.
The prospect of road pricing was given a cool welcome by some.
The Transport 2000 lobby group said that, for road pricing to
work, alternatives to driving must be improved.
Shadow transport secretary Chris Grayling said a national road
pricing scheme for every road was not "realistically achievable
in the near future".
Conservative plan
Sir Rod's report warns that how we get around Britain will be
vital for future economic success.
The government has already indicated it will press ahead with trial
road-pricing schemes across England - amid fears congestion could
rise by 25% by 2015 in big towns and cities.
The draft Road Transport Bill, announced in the Queen's Speech,
gives councils more freedom to bring in their own schemes in busy
areas.
The Conservatives have released their own strategy, Getting Around:
Britain's Great Frustration, calling for greener cars on the roads
and major long-term projects.
They have also not ruled out road pricing but say they would
build new roads and have a more integrated transport policy.
