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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Road fees scheme 'not definite' | Road fees scheme 'not definite' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Plans for pilot road pricing schemes should not be seen as an automatic step towards a national strategy, Downing Street has said. | Plans for pilot road pricing schemes should not be seen as an automatic step towards a national strategy, Downing Street has said. |
| But the prime minister's official spokesman insisted doing nothing to tackle congestion was not an option. | But the prime minister's official spokesman insisted doing nothing to tackle congestion was not an option. |
| The prime minister will personally email the 1.7m people who signed a petition opposing the plans. | |
| A BBC-commissioned poll found nearly 75% of people are opposed to the idea of charging motorists by the mile. | A BBC-commissioned poll found nearly 75% of people are opposed to the idea of charging motorists by the mile. |
| Examining options | Examining options |
| Tony Blair has said he will respond by email to everyone who signed the petition on the Downing Street website once it closes at midnight on Wednesday 21 February. | |
| It is expected that his response will be posted on the site at 0600 GMT on Wednesday. | |
| His spokesman said the government would press ahead with 10 road pricing pilot schemes in 10 locations around the country. | |
| "We are going to carry out ten pilot schemes," he said. "The discussions about those are ongoing. | "We are going to carry out ten pilot schemes," he said. "The discussions about those are ongoing. |
| The cost of the technology and the infrastructure would be far better spent on improving the railways and the public transport system Peter Roberts E-petitions and democracy | The cost of the technology and the infrastructure would be far better spent on improving the railways and the public transport system Peter Roberts E-petitions and democracy |
| "The important thing to stress is that the pilot schemes are to work out what is possible in tackling congestion, how to go about it and how to learn lessons. | "The important thing to stress is that the pilot schemes are to work out what is possible in tackling congestion, how to go about it and how to learn lessons. |
| "This is not just one step towards a national road pricing scheme." | "This is not just one step towards a national road pricing scheme." |
| He added that congestion was predicted to rise by 40% by 2025. | He added that congestion was predicted to rise by 40% by 2025. |
| "What we can't do is do nothing. Doing nothing is not an option," he said. | "What we can't do is do nothing. Doing nothing is not an option," he said. |
| Plans to introduce a nationwide "pay-as-you-drive" system were unveiled by former Transport Secretary Alistair Darling in 2005. | Plans to introduce a nationwide "pay-as-you-drive" system were unveiled by former Transport Secretary Alistair Darling in 2005. |
| Mr Darling's successor, Douglas Alexander, has since suggested that road pricing could be brought in within a decade. | Mr Darling's successor, Douglas Alexander, has since suggested that road pricing could be brought in within a decade. |
| The spokesman's comments came as the results of a BBC-commissioned poll were revealed in which 74% of people said they were opposed to charging motorists by the mile. | The spokesman's comments came as the results of a BBC-commissioned poll were revealed in which 74% of people said they were opposed to charging motorists by the mile. |
| But 55% of those spoken to said they would change their minds and support such a scheme if the money raised was used to improve public transport. | But 55% of those spoken to said they would change their minds and support such a scheme if the money raised was used to improve public transport. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY We should beat congestion by making it viable for more staff to work from home Peter, Croydon Send us your comments More than 25% said nothing would make the policy acceptable to them. | HAVE YOUR SAY We should beat congestion by making it viable for more staff to work from home Peter, Croydon Send us your comments More than 25% said nothing would make the policy acceptable to them. |
| Those most in favour of a charging system were 18 to 24-year-olds with 28% of those asked saying the government should introduce one. | Those most in favour of a charging system were 18 to 24-year-olds with 28% of those asked saying the government should introduce one. |
| Tolls are 'sinister' | Tolls are 'sinister' |
| The petition says tolls are "sinister and wrong" and unfair to poorer people. | |
| It calls for the scrapping of "planned vehicle tracking and road-pricing policy". | It calls for the scrapping of "planned vehicle tracking and road-pricing policy". |
| It appears on a new section of Downing Street's website, which was set up in November to allow anyone to address and deliver a petition directly to the prime minister. | It appears on a new section of Downing Street's website, which was set up in November to allow anyone to address and deliver a petition directly to the prime minister. |
| The petition was so popular that at one point it crashed the prime minister's website. | The petition was so popular that at one point it crashed the prime minister's website. |
| The man who started the petition, Peter Roberts, a 46-year-old account manager from Telford, said the poll was more evidence that people were wary of road charges. | The man who started the petition, Peter Roberts, a 46-year-old account manager from Telford, said the poll was more evidence that people were wary of road charges. |
| He also said investment should be made in the transport network without a road charging scheme. | He also said investment should be made in the transport network without a road charging scheme. |
| "Road pricing as an idea has got some merit," he said. | "Road pricing as an idea has got some merit," he said. |
| "But the cost of the technology and the infrastructure would be far better spent on improving the railways and the public transport system". | "But the cost of the technology and the infrastructure would be far better spent on improving the railways and the public transport system". |
| ROAD PRICING VIEWS Which if any, of the following, would make the policy acceptable to you? Total % If money raised was used to improve public transport... 424 55 If money raised was used to cut other road taxes... 407 53 If the money went to the treasury... 56 7 Nothing would make that policy acceptable to me... 202 26 Based on responses of 768 people Source: ICM survey commissioned by the BBC | ROAD PRICING VIEWS Which if any, of the following, would make the policy acceptable to you? Total % If money raised was used to improve public transport... 424 55 If money raised was used to cut other road taxes... 407 53 If the money went to the treasury... 56 7 Nothing would make that policy acceptable to me... 202 26 Based on responses of 768 people Source: ICM survey commissioned by the BBC |
| Full research findings [86k] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here | Full research findings [86k] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here |