Road pricing 'will be in place by end of century'

ROAD pricing will become an important part of reducing congestion in urban areas, Kenneth Carlisle, the Minister for Roads and Traffic, said yesterday, writes Christian Wolmar.

Speaking at a conference on transport and the environment organised by the Freight Transport Association, he said: 'In one form or another, road pricing will come by the end of the century.' He added later: 'We've got to let people and traffic in towns live together in greater harmony. Road pricing will be part of a package of measures to reduce traffic congestion.'

The Department of Transport is under pressure to find ways of meeting the target set at last June's World Summit in Rio de Janeiro of trying to reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by 2000. Traffic accounts for a fifth of the emission of such gases.

The department is currently undertaking a study into public attitudes towards road pricing in London which is expected to be completed by 1994, but Mr Carlisle said that he favoured initially testing out the concept on a town other than the capital. 'London is not the ideal place to start an experiment. It would be better to do it in a more controllable area.'

He said that research was at an early stage and a system would have to be devised 'to ensure that all vehicles would contribute'. Road pricing has not been introduced anywhere in the world. Singapore is expected to introduce a system in 1996, and a pilot scheme has been tested in Hong Kong.

A study of Edinburgh, published last December, suggested imposing a charge of pounds 1.50 for each vehicle entering and leaving the city and using the money to finance an underground system.