BUSINESSES ARE WILLING TO CONSIDER ROAD PRICING BUT ONLY IF FUNDS ARE USED FOR IMPROVING THE UK'S TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
20/02/07 | 12:52
David Frost, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce said:
"Businesses in the UK are willing to look at road pricing, if it will provide funding to improve the current dismal condition of the UK transport infrastructure and if the costs are offset by a reduction in other forms of tax.
The current transport infrastructure in Britain is failing British business. Our roads are constantly congested and our public transport system cannot cope. Congestion on our roads alone is costing businesses £17 billion a year, harming the UK’s competitiveness. Increased capacity is sorely needed on Britain’s roads yet of the £42 billion taken in taxes from road users the Government spends just £1.6 billion a year on the construction of trunk roads and motorways. But its not just roads we need to see improved. Our public transport system needs increased investment and improvement across the board if the Government want's to encourage more and more people to rely on it.
Our members, small and medium sized business from across the UK, have had enough and want a transport system fit for the 21st century. It is because of this that businesses are now prepared to contemplate the principle of road pricing. A recent BCC survey of our members found that 87% are in favour of some form of road user charging. This is on the condition that any money raised must be offset by a reduction in other forms of tax such as fuel duty and road tax and that any money raised from the charge will be ring fenced towards improving transport infrastructure.
We need to make sure that if road pricing is introduced businesses will see clear and tangible benefits from what they are paying. To gain support the Government needs to make sure that any proposals on road pricing must not be just an extra tax but form part of a thorough, strategic plan to improve the future of transport in the UK."
ENDS
MEDIA CONTACT:NOTES TO EDITORS:The BCC’s survey, "Waiting in Line", surveyed 1,300 British businesses. In relation to road pricing and congestion the main findings were:
- That congestion is now so bad that 87 per cent of businesses support the principle of road pricing.
- 82 per cent of respondents describe the road network as essential to their business operations yet a staggering 84 per cent say that there is a problem with road congestion which affects their business locally.
- At 73 per cent the main reason businesses cite for the congestion on local roads is the sheer volume of traffic.
- Support for road pricing, however, comes with the caveat that amendments are made to other forms of taxation such as fuel duty (46 per cent) and road tax (42 per cent) or that revenue raised is ring fenced to transport improvements (34 per cent).
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is the National Voice of Local Business.
The BCC sits at the heart of a powerful nationwide network of Accredited Chambers of Commerce serving business across the UK, which employ over five million people.