In the Fast Lane. Fair and effective road user charging in Britain

Article

This report argues that raising congestion charges would be fair in the sense of making motorists pay for the costs they impose on society, including congestion, crashes, pollution, noise, and road wear.

The successes of the central London congestion charging scheme and the M6 toll road have changed the terms of the debate on road user charging in Britain. Edinburgh is planning a referendum on the introduction of a congestion charging scheme and other cities are contemplating their own. The government plans to introduce a distance charging scheme for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and has commissioned a feasibility study on a national road user charging scheme for cars and vans that is due to report this summer.

We commissioned computer modelling of the likely effects of congestion charging if it were introduced on all roads in England in 2010. Two scenarios were tested: a revenue neutral scheme in which there are offsetting cuts in fuel duty so that no extra revenue is raised overall, and revenue raising congestion charges levied in addition to fuel duty.

This report argues that raising congestion charges would be fair in the sense of making motorists pay for the costs they impose on society, including congestion, crashes, pollution, noise, and road wear.

Related items

  1. Doctor with patient for consultation, medical advice or procedure at clinic

    Taken to heart: Inequalities in heart disease in Scotland

    More than 7.6 million people across the UK live with cardiovascular disease (CVD), around twice as many as live with Alzheimer’s disease and cancer combined. 
  2. A beautiful sunset in the Scottish highlands with renewable energy wind turbines far into the horizon

    Skills passports: An essential part of a fair transition

    This month, government will publish its Clean Energy Workforce Strategy. This plan covers two aims. First, filling the growing demand for skills in clean energy industries is essential to keep on track to reach the government’s clean power…
  3. The Bank of England is watched over by a statue of the Duke of Wellington seated on his horse

    Fixing the leak: How to end the £22 billion annual taxpayer losses at the Bank of England

    The Bank of England increased its interest rates over recent years, aimed at reducing inflation. But this has also had an unintended effect on the Bank of England’s massive government bond buying – ‘quantitative easing’ – programme.