Policy Hub
On 16 November 2007, the New Local Government Network (NLGN) published a report (The politics of traffic: a local route to reduce congestion) which calls for the government to step back from any national road pricing approaches and instead pursue a permissive approach where local authorities lead approaches to reduce congestion and consider locality-based charging if merited by local circumstances. While the DfT says it has made ‘no decision’ yet on national pricing, NLGN is urging Ministers not to head in that direction. The report argues that radical measures are required to stop congestion on Britain’s roads rising by a predicted 30% by 2025, including:
(a) scrapping the current £380 million government fuel subsidy to bus operators, and instead allowing this resource to be allocated by local authorities to incentivise improved local bus routing and timetabling;
(b) removing the local transport regulatory powers from England’s six unelected and appointed-for-life Traffic Commissioners, instead devolving their powers to elected local council leaders;
(c) making Council Leaders accountable to new Passenger Forums and allowing them scope to influence local employer behaviour, which could dramatically reduce peak time congestion;
(d) sanctioning locally-defined congestion charging or local road pricing schemes by the elected local authority, tailored to local circumstances.
The study also argues that there is huge potential for new technology to improve the experience on public transport and to map the needs of local communities.