Car Insurance
Road pricing 'won't dissuade drivers'
Fri, 21 Apr 2006
A pay-as-you-go road pricing system, suggested as a solution to increased congestion, would fail to get people out of their cars and on to public transport, an independent report argues.
The report from the Independent Transport Commission (ITC), a body made up of business and transport academics, argues that instead of abandoning their cars most motorists will simply adopt new tactics to try to avoid high charges.
The government's proposed system will see major roads cost more than country roads, with higher charges at peak times such as rush-hour.
The ITC's report says that drivers, instead of using public transport, are more likely to take to alternative country routes instead of taking major roads and travel at different times when charges are less.
The report does agree that the system will work to reduce congestion on major roads, but the concerns are that the congestion will simply move to the countryside.
With the government apparently set on introducing charges to Britain's roads, combined with high fuel prices, cutting costs by getting cheap car insurance will become more important than ever.
It is still undecided as to whether the government will use the extra income to reduce taxes on fuel, a move that could help reduce motoring costs.
© Adfero Ltd
