FTA: Road pricing schemes must meet certain conditions
Date: 12 March 2008
The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has said that it may support local road pricing schemes, so long as various conditions are met.
The group, which represents the haulage industry, has published its 'Road pricing schemes in England' summary paper, looking at ten prospective road pricing schemes that have been given grants from the government's Transport Innovation Fund to assess how viable they are.
In order to gain the support of the FTA, a scheme must form "part of a mix of actions to tackle congestion", and its purpose must be to reduce congestion rather than to raise revenue.
As well as this, the technology it uses must be interoperable with other schemes in the UK and the EU, there must be the ability to measure its costs and benefits, and the evaluation of the schemes must include "the impact on deliveries to businesses in the charged area".
Stephen Kelly, the report's author, stressed that haulage vehicle deliveries are "essential services".
He added: "Commercial vehicle operation is fundamental to the daily life of the entire population of the UK. We all rely on daily deliveries to shops, offices, schools, restaurants, homes and virtually every other location.
"It is in the best interests of us all that such operations are carried out efficiently and economically. Any future road pricing scheme must recognise that reality and seek to provide for the needs of commercial vehicles, rather than to unreasonably restrict or inhibit them."
For more of the latest haulage and transport news, please visit the Haulage Exchange Haulage News page - all the latest for owner operators and haulage companies.
User Comments
No Comments