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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Businesses call for road charges | Businesses call for road charges |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Business leaders want to charge drivers for using roads to pay for an overhaul of transport and stop a "stranglehold" on the south east Wales economy. | Business leaders want to charge drivers for using roads to pay for an overhaul of transport and stop a "stranglehold" on the south east Wales economy. |
| Cardiff Chamber of Commerce says the road systems in the area are too congested and that has a detrimental impact on business. | Cardiff Chamber of Commerce says the road systems in the area are too congested and that has a detrimental impact on business. |
| It fears the Welsh economy will fall behind other parts of the UK unless something is done to improve roads. | It fears the Welsh economy will fall behind other parts of the UK unless something is done to improve roads. |
| It estimates £500m is needed to improve the infrastructure. | It estimates £500m is needed to improve the infrastructure. |
| Traffic gridlock after two fatal crashes on the M4 in two months has highlighted the issue of the transport infrastructure in and around Cardiff and the south east of Wales. | Traffic gridlock after two fatal crashes on the M4 in two months has highlighted the issue of the transport infrastructure in and around Cardiff and the south east of Wales. |
| Cardiff Chamber of Commerce said charging drivers is the only way a major road expansion programme, which would include a new dual lane ring road around Cardiff and increasing the capacity of the M4 could be paid for. | Cardiff Chamber of Commerce said charging drivers is the only way a major road expansion programme, which would include a new dual lane ring road around Cardiff and increasing the capacity of the M4 could be paid for. |
| It said its 1,400 member businesses in and around Cardiff and the south Wales valleys see congestion as the number one issue affecting their trade. | It said its 1,400 member businesses in and around Cardiff and the south Wales valleys see congestion as the number one issue affecting their trade. |
| TRANSPORT PROPOSALS Increase capacity of M4 at Newport and jcts 29-32, Heads of the Valleys, Cardiff airport link, Cardiff EastInvest in rail and bus infrastructureRoad pricing to spread traffic load more evenly across dayBus lanes inc A470 Cardiff-Pontypridd, A48 Culverhouse Cross-Cardiff; A469 Caerphilly-Cardiff; A48 Cardiff-NewportPark and rides east, north and west of CardiffLonger, more modern and frequent trains; more trains to airportSource: Cardiff Chamber of Commerce's Transport Forum report | |
| Chief executive Russell Goodway said: "It's (the traffic congestion) a stranglehold on the economy at the moment - the closure of the M4 on two occasions in recent months cost local businesses millions in lost productivity and just failing to get their people into work. | Chief executive Russell Goodway said: "It's (the traffic congestion) a stranglehold on the economy at the moment - the closure of the M4 on two occasions in recent months cost local businesses millions in lost productivity and just failing to get their people into work. |
| "Transport infrastructure improvements are never going to be paid for without some form of road charging - we have to accept it's not a case of "if" but "when". | "Transport infrastructure improvements are never going to be paid for without some form of road charging - we have to accept it's not a case of "if" but "when". |
| "Leadership is needed from government and local government to start the debate. | "Leadership is needed from government and local government to start the debate. |
| "Unless we change things, we will have grid lock in Cardiff at peak hours within two or three years." | "Unless we change things, we will have grid lock in Cardiff at peak hours within two or three years." |
| The chamber's report also looks at opening up bus "corridors" on main routes, improving rail services and the links to Cardiff International Airport and ports. | The chamber's report also looks at opening up bus "corridors" on main routes, improving rail services and the links to Cardiff International Airport and ports. |
| Mr Goodway said millions of pounds were needed to pay for the infrastructure to be improved. | Mr Goodway said millions of pounds were needed to pay for the infrastructure to be improved. |
| "The estimates carried out by Cardiff Council three years ago put a price tag of around £500m on what needs to be done," he said. | "The estimates carried out by Cardiff Council three years ago put a price tag of around £500m on what needs to be done," he said. |
| "There's complete acceptance that the money needed to put those solutions in place will not come from traditional sources that is tax payers funds. | "There's complete acceptance that the money needed to put those solutions in place will not come from traditional sources that is tax payers funds. |
| Mr Davies said congestion was a problem in Cardiff and Newport | Mr Davies said congestion was a problem in Cardiff and Newport |
| "Therefore we are going to have to turn to the private sector to generate the money. | "Therefore we are going to have to turn to the private sector to generate the money. |
| "As much as we would like it to replace road fund licenses and fuel duty we need to make sure south Wales stays ahead of the game. | "As much as we would like it to replace road fund licenses and fuel duty we need to make sure south Wales stays ahead of the game. |
| "Other cities and other regions of the UK are already looking at road pricing schemes and if Wales falls behind then the economy of Wales falls behind," he added. | "Other cities and other regions of the UK are already looking at road pricing schemes and if Wales falls behind then the economy of Wales falls behind," he added. |
| But Friends of the Earth Cymru has warned about the effects on the environment of improving and expanding the road network and said more roads were "not the answer". | But Friends of the Earth Cymru has warned about the effects on the environment of improving and expanding the road network and said more roads were "not the answer". |
| It said transport was one of the significant contributors to climate change. | It said transport was one of the significant contributors to climate change. |
| Director Gordon James said: "Building roads will inevitably generate more traffic and more carbon dioxide. | Director Gordon James said: "Building roads will inevitably generate more traffic and more carbon dioxide. |
| "Building roads is yesterday's solution - it does not make much sense in the age of climate change." | "Building roads is yesterday's solution - it does not make much sense in the age of climate change." |
| He added that the M4 could be "upgraded sufficiently to ease congestion" rather than building the M4 relief road. | He added that the M4 could be "upgraded sufficiently to ease congestion" rather than building the M4 relief road. |