Archived press release

Government must consider road pricing, say MPs

3 April 2003

A House of Commons Transport Select Committee report, published today, has called on the Government to lead a debate on road pricing, saying that just building new roads will not solve transport problems or help reduce the emissions causing climate change.

Among the conclusions of the report on the Government's programme of multi-modal studies are:

• "The Government cannot continue to pretend that investing in infrastructure alone, even at levels far above those currently seen, whilst allowing car use to rise unchecked, can reduce congestion" (para 181)

• "It is clear that without a major shift in policy, congestion on the network will worsen over the next two decades along with the negative environmental and social consequences this will bring" (para 173)

• "The findings of the studies must address the causes of congestion if they are not simply to perpetuate previous unsustainable trends" (para 61)

• "The balance of evidence and the experience of the studies leads us to conclude that road user charging on the inter-urban road network is the most important way to stop congestion growing" (para 124)

• "It is essential that the Government leads the debate on the benefits and difficulties of widespread road user charging" (para 125)

• "If road-user charging is ever to be an acceptable proposition, alternatives to travel by car must be provided. This will require greater levels of funding and significant forward planning" (para 180)

• "We are astounded that strategies that manifestly work against the UK's climate change commitments are being approved" (para 71)

Commenting Friends of the Earth's Transport Campaigner Tony Bosworth said:

"Once again, the Transport Select Committee has got the Government bang to rights. Just building and widening roads won't work. It isn't a solution to transport problems and it doesn't help tackle climate change. Dealing with the symptoms is not enough. You have to tackle the causes and that will need big policy changes. The Government can't duck a debate on road pricing any longer. Tony Blair and Alistair Darling have to stop worrying about upsetting the roads lobby and start the debate sooner rather than later".

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust