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Toll Roads Here Soon Predicts Expert
A HUDDERSFIELD transport expert has predicted: Toll roads are coming.
Prof Colin Bamford, who heads the transport studies section at the University of Huddersfield, said it was a matter of when and not if.
He was commenting on news that Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander is seeking powers to impose toll roads across the UK.
In a leaked letter obtained by the Sunday Times, Mr Alexander spells out plans for a Bill to be introduced next year to pave the way for the widespread use of tolls to combat road congestion.
At present, it is up to local authorities to propose roadcharging schemes - such as London's congestion charge- for approval by ministers.
But in his letter, Mr Alexander argues he should be able to set national standards and prices to prevent the confusion would result if different cities adopted differing schemes.
Motorists would be charged on a pay-as-you-go basis, with hi-tech black boxes in their cars recording how far they have driven on stretches of toll road.
Prof Bamford, head of the University of Huddersfield's Department of Transport and Logistics, said: "It's not a question of if but when.
"The Government made it clear that in 10 years' time we are going to have a pay-as-you-go system.
"What's different about this was the original intention was to phase in experimental schemes.
"The problem is we haven't the road space to deal with tolls in the way they do abroad. It would have to be an electronic system.
"Tolls are the only way we can do anything about congestion. Motorists have to accept that what they currently pay isn't relative to their usage of the roads. A toll system is only getting back from motorists what they should be paying.
At the moment they're just not paying the true cost.
"The toll system is much fairer than road tax especially for people who don't drive very often.
"But it's an attitudinal thing. In some countries people readily use public transport whereas here people moan about the lack of car parking space.
"Only 5% of people in Huddersfield will use public transport when they can use a car for the same journey."
Mr Alexander is considering imposing charges not just in city centres but also on trunk roads.
"The main purpose of the Bill would be to support our efforts to cut congestion and improve public transport, particularly in the major cities outside London," he wrote.
"It would also help to pave the way for a national roadpricing scheme in the medium to long term."
MAG Comment: From the MAG Position statement on “Road Pricing and Tolls”:
The motorcycle is an environmentally friendly form of transport, and MAG feels that it should be recognised as such and subject to toll free travel.
The European Parliament proposed that motorcycles should be exempt from all purchase, possession, and use taxes.
The Federation Of European Motorcyclists Associations states in its policy document:
Charges For Road Use - FEMA seeks to promote motorcycle use by obtaining exemptions for motorcyclists from road pricing schemes imposed in addition to existing vehicle taxation and from congestion charging, in particular.
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