We need better public transport before we start to charge for entry into a city or town. But the London congestion charge seems to have had the side-effect of allowing me to park with little difficulty behind the IMechE headquarters on Birdcage Walk when attending evening lectures.
Sue Lancashire, Basingstoke
I would if the public transport infrastructure was improved to cope with the increased capacity. The improvement in the environment following the congestion charge in London is palpable.
Gary Lock, Leatherhead, Surrey
We put our health at risk in all sorts of ways in the course of everyday life. I don’t think urban emissions will be the thing that gets most people in the end.
Geoff Donkin, Beverley, East Yorkshire
Introducing road charges without getting everything else right is a recipe for failure. We need to see balanced and structured planning that increases the availability of public transport at an affordable cost. It is fruitless to limit car usage if people have no reasonable alternative.
Geoff Hughes, Cotswolds
No matter how hard you make it for people to drive into city centres it will do no good if they have no other choice. Politicians have to remember that unlike London the rest of the UK does not have a 24-hour, reasonably priced, through-ticketed transport system.
Simon Dodd, Leicester
No. Motorists are already bearing a tax burden that is disproportionate to the amount of emissions that are caused by modern combustion engined vehicles. What about a system to penalise owners of poorly insulated buildings heated by inefficient gas boilers?
Graham Beckett, Lisburn
Road charging in city centres is just another way of raising taxes to support incompetent government. Remove city-centre car parks and replace them with cheaper and more convenient public transport.
Steve Gallimore, Lincoln
I propose free bus transport within every city and town, in the knowledge that local ratepayers and tenants would fund the initiative. If residents wish to continue to pay for their personal car travel and parking fees, that is their choice.
Steve Rees, Stockport
The quantity of pollution is related to the size and type of engine as well as the number of vehicles. A road charge would have to account for this otherwise it would be perceived as unfair. This probably complicates implementation and would be more expensive and may not reduce the number of vehicles, and hence pollution levels. I would prefer vehicles to be banned from town centres unless given special dispensation.
Graham Bates, Bishop’s Waltham, Hampshire
Recent research suggests that the London congestion charge has not improved air quality. What it has done is generate a huge income for the city. Hmm, let me just think that one over.
Gerard Buffham, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
The government would use this as an excuse to make more money and not bother reinvesting it into the cities in the form of public transport. I support park and ride (I use the Cambridge one) but do not tax the motorist any more than we already do!
Thomas Gilbert, Peterborough
There’s a risk to all activities; I distrust every qualitative statement about risk on principle. That said, city-centre road charging is clearly an effective way to reduce congestion, the benefits of which may or may not include health.
Steve Radcliffe, Dursley, Gloucester
No. Road charging is another tax to take money out of your pocket. If there is a better system in place, then people will migrate to it – but there isn’t.
Graham Robinson, Cumbria
Road charging is a fairer way to collect car tax as it is proportional to use, and city streets could be charged at higher prices to discourage use which is all good. However, I would be concerned that the computer systems and organisation required to run it would turn into a financial disaster – best keep it all simple by taxing fuel.
Stuart Kirby, Derby
Absolutely not. Who can trust a government that levies high road tax on cars based on CO2 emissions when CO2 is not a pollutant and low tax on diesel cars which are heavily polluting?
Geoff Bone, Crowthorne, Berkshire
Never mind road charging and its costly administration, just make it difficult for car users to pass through city centres. At the same time improve cycling provision and bus services to get people out of their cars.
Steve Wrigley, Lancaster
No I would not. Before all of the one-way streets appeared I found it quite easy to drive through my home town but now most of the roads have been blocked off with bollards to allow coffee shops to put out tables and chairs! Get rid of those, open up the roads and reduce congestion.
Stuart Vass, Derby
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