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| Road tolls 'unfair', say councils | Road tolls 'unfair', say councils |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Commuters will be left "high and dry" by congestion charging schemes unless more cash is found for public transport, council leaders have warned. | Commuters will be left "high and dry" by congestion charging schemes unless more cash is found for public transport, council leaders have warned. |
| Road pricing could help the environment and cut jams, the Local Government Association (LGA) said. | Road pricing could help the environment and cut jams, the Local Government Association (LGA) said. |
| But spokesman Cllr David Sparks added it would be "grossly unfair" to levy drivers without offering alternatives. | But spokesman Cllr David Sparks added it would be "grossly unfair" to levy drivers without offering alternatives. |
| Transport Minister Rosie Winterton said road pricing would go "hand in hand" with improvements to local networks. | Transport Minister Rosie Winterton said road pricing would go "hand in hand" with improvements to local networks. |
| 'Unwanted tax' | 'Unwanted tax' |
| The LGA said that funds for road pricing trials were insufficient. | |
| We have also said that any revenue raised by local road pricing schemes must be re-invested in local transport Rosie WintertonTransport Minister | We have also said that any revenue raised by local road pricing schemes must be re-invested in local transport Rosie WintertonTransport Minister |
| Although £1.4bn has been earmarked for potential schemes, it said, Manchester alone has calculated that the cost of a congestion charge scheme could reach £3bn. | Although £1.4bn has been earmarked for potential schemes, it said, Manchester alone has calculated that the cost of a congestion charge scheme could reach £3bn. |
| It called for town halls to be allowed to borrow money against revenue raised from road pricing, so they could invest in better public transport. | It called for town halls to be allowed to borrow money against revenue raised from road pricing, so they could invest in better public transport. |
| Cllr Sparks said: "Councils want to be able to make road pricing work. | Cllr Sparks said: "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 buses, trains and trams to give road users a viable alternative. | "But, it would be grossly unfair to force people out of their cars if there are not enough buses, trains and trams to give road users a viable alternative. |
| "This would simply be leaving drivers high and dry and force them into paying an unwanted tax." | "This would simply be leaving drivers high and dry and force them into paying an unwanted tax." |
| He added that it was important that road pricing was not seen by motorists simply as a form of stealth taxation. | He added that it was important that road pricing was not seen by motorists simply as a form of stealth taxation. |
| Ms Winterton said that the government had "given local authorities record levels of investment for this purpose. | Ms Winterton said that the government had "given local authorities record levels of investment for this purpose. |
| "We have also said that any revenue raised by local road pricing schemes must be re-invested in local transport." | "We have also said that any revenue raised by local road pricing schemes must be re-invested in local transport." |
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