Trying to price cars off the road 'destined to fail'

COMPANY car space users in the capital could be charged GBP 5,000 a year and other London drivers GBP 11.25 a day under new proposals to rid the capital of unnecessary traffic.

However, even if the radical measures were introduced, congestion in London would not be cut by the desired 40 per cent by 2005, a new report concludes.

The findings, presented to today's executive meeting of the London Planning Advisory Committee, which represents all 33 London boroughs, reveal that the body's plans to price cars off the roads are destined to fail. The local government organisation concludes that a proposed decrease of up to 40 per cent cannot be achieved by 2005 even if the swingeing measures are introduced to hit the pockets of motorists who drive into the capital. The proposals include charging employees GBP 5,000 a year to use an office car park, levying a toll of GBP 11.25 a day to enter the city centre and quadrupling the charges at public car parks. The new research commissioned by LPAC concludes that the reduction "will not be fully achievable using traffic reduction mechanisms alone". However, the research results revealed it will therefore be necessary to take "positive action" to ensure planners restrict developments to locations where good public transport links already exist and to prevent new car parks opening. Joint author Keith Gardner, transport expert at LPAC, added: "There is a substantial majority of motorists who will continue to use their car despite the charges. The money will be available to invest in alternatives." A new deadline of 2010 is now expected to be set when the report is debated in June by the full committee made up of representatives from all 32 boroughs and the City's council.

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