Quote:
Motorists will be charged by the mile for using roads under proposals aimed at tackling congestion and reducing pollution.
Former BA chief executive Sir Rod Eddington was given the task of assessing the impact of changes to the transport system on future productivity and economic growth.
His report, commissioned jointly by the Treasury and the Department for Transport, has found that the 61 billion journeys made each year is costing business and households a fortune.
Sir Rod's study, which he will outline to stakeholders later, will argue that charging motorists by the mile would help to cut congestion and harmful carbon emissions. The £28 billion raised annually would go towards a better bus and train system.
A new high-speed railway line between London and Scotland is being put on the backburner for now, but he will insist that small schemes such as cycle lanes are better than grand, futuristic plans.
The Tories have released their own strategy document setting out their priorities for the system. Called Getting Around: Britain's Great Frustration, it sets out an initial foundation for the policies expected in the party's next election manifesto.
Shadow transport secretary Chris Grayling said: "The Government has clearly failed to follow through on its stated aim of improving our transport system - and for most people travel has become more difficult in the past ten years.
"We need short-term and urgent improvements to ease congestion and overcrowding, and then a proper longer-term programme to ensure we have a transport system that is more environmentally-friendly and can meet the needs of a modern economy."
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Just another way to squeeze more money from the motorist, imo ... Road Tax was supposed to be used to generate cash for road improvements, building motorways, etc .. so what are they doing with that ?
This idea will just force motorists to seek other routes around the ' Toll Areas ' and end up clogging the roads of Urban Areas, which I am sure will have a huge, detrimental effect on the Environment
