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Bill to pave way for road pricing | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
The government is pushing ahead with plans to introduce road pricing schemes in England and Wales despite a huge public campaign against them. | |
It is publishing a draft Bill laying down rules for local authorities who want to set up charging trials. | |
It insists there are no plans yet for a national scheme but critics say it is not being open about its intentions. | |
A petition against road pricing on the Downing Street website received nearly two million e-mails. | |
Widespread road pricing is at least 10 years away technically - but 10 local authorities have expressed an interest in developing charging systems in their areas. | |
'No decision' | |
The draft Local Transport Bill will ensure any local schemes are consistent with each other and interoperable. | |
The government must be open and honest with people about its intentions to push forward with road pricing Alistair Carmichael, Lib Dem transport spokesman Q&A: Road pricing Road toll 'stealth tax' denied | |
But a spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said this did not mean the government was pressing ahead with a national pay-as-you-drive scheme. | |
"No decision has been made on a national scheme. We have got to see the results of the pilot schemes," he said. | |
He said there would be a three month consultation period for those in favour and against road pricing to have their say before a final Bill is drawn up. | |
Prime Minister Tony Blair, in his February reply to the Downing Street website petition, also insisted no decision had been made on national road pricing | |
But he said congestion could not be allowed to grow unchecked and any scheme would not be used as a "stealth tax". | |
'Cash cow' | |
Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Alistair Carmichael accused the government of not being open about its plans for a nationwide scheme. | |
"The government must be open and honest with people about its intentions to push forward with road pricing. | |
"They must commit to a system which does not mean motorists as a whole paying more, but just paying differently. | |
"If the public feel that road user pricing is just another cash cow for the Treasury, then it will meet stiff resistance and a real opportunity to reduce congestion will be missed." | |
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) called on the government should hold a referendum in areas where it was being planned. | |
"Without it road charging is completely illegitimate, as it would be for a national scheme without a public vote on the issue," said Steve Collie, FSB Transport Chairman. | |
"Instead of creating more tolls and more laws the government should be enforcing current rules and spending more on the transport network," he added. | |
The Conservatives have said people on low incomes will lose out from road tariffs. | The Conservatives have said people on low incomes will lose out from road tariffs. |
Bus services | |
The main thrust of the draft Local Transport Bill concerns bus services, with local authorities given the opportunity to insist private operators run certain routes. | |
In return, the local councils will have to provide the appropriate bus lanes. | |
In London, where bus services are privatised but are still regulated, there has been a growing increase in passenger numbers in recent years. | |
But outside the capital, where services have been privatised and deregulated since 1986, there has been a fall in bus patronage. | |
The draft Bill will fall short of proposing re-regulation for non-London services but it will give local councils - especially the big metropolitan authorities - more say in the running of buses. | |
In February, 74% of the 1,006 people questioned for a BBC-commissioned survey 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. |