Is road pricing the way forward?

Date: 8/7/2010

Road pricing is still many years away, one expert has suggested.

Neil Greig, Director of Policy and Research at the Institute of Advanced Motorists, suggested the government would not want the initial financial hit that such a move would entail, as it may prove costly.

"There's a huge imbalance between tax taken by the government and transport spending and I just can't see any government wanting to give that up," he added.

However, Mr Greig noted paying for motoring in the same way as paying for a mobile phone is a good idea in theory.

He explained it would help Britons understand the amount they spend and may even encourage some to drive less or in a safer manner if they were forking out on a pay-as-you-go basis.

The specialist's comments follow the release of a report by the RAC Foundation, which indicated a fundamental shift in the way the UK's roads are managed is needed in order to avoid traffic gridlock over the coming years.

Posted by Mary Treen