Pay as you work parking proposal

Nov 21 2007 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

MOTORISTS could be forced to pay to park at their own office, according to Newcastle’s top transport expert.

The parking charges are one of a variety of congestion-busting measures being investigated by the Tyne and Wear authorities.

Prof Phil Blyth, who came to Newcastle University after helping to introduce London’s congestion charging, has called on city leaders to be bold as they look for solutions to growing road problems.

Newcastle City Council is leading a bid to attract millions of pounds in Government transport funding.

Under the Government’s Transport Innovation Fund (TIF), councils can secure the cash in exchange for introducing new ways of reducing road use – and some UK councils have already been given cash to introduce road pricing.

Prof Blyth, an expert in intelligent transport systems, said the introduction of some sort of road pricing in Tyneside was “inevitable”.

He said: “Road user charging is one of the last tools we have in the toolbox to deal with road congestion.

“And once it has been introduced successfully outside of London, I think we will see a gradual acceptance, especially if people can see the benefits.

“I think the ambition of Government is to see this as a national policy.

“Clearly with the change of ministers, they are stepping back from that and leaving it to local decision makers.

“I think this is a cop-out by the Government but they have probably announced most of what they can spend on transport already, leaving them little choice. On transport, the Government is essentially broke, and we will see much less investment in transport in future. There have been clear statements that road user charging is not for Newcastle, that congestion charging is not for the city centre.

“I think within the TIF study, they have left the door open to the possibility of charging but not considering this is sticking your head in the sand.

“Now we need a bold strategy for the region as a whole.

“Road user charging would have a regional impact and we need to consider that.”

He added: “I worked on the London study that recommended road user charging and that was very popular with councils.

“But the practicalities of how to introduce that are massive, how do you enforce it, how do you know you have taken spaces out of use.” Non-domestic parking charges work by forcing businesses to either pay a regular inhibitive fee for their parking spaces or to promise to close them down. The idea was dismissed in London because of the difficulty in enforcing such a measure.

The officer leading the TIF study, Richard Hibbert, said all options would be considered, although it is known the council is against road charging.

He said: “At this stage of our research, we are looking at a wide range of options, including non-domestic parking charges, and haven’t ruled anything out. However, we certainly haven’t ruled this in either.

“Any package submitted to Government would seek to be bold in terms of what it would deliver to Tyne and Wear.

“It would have to be bold to make a meaningful difference to congestion in the area.”

------------------------------------------------------------------ Road pricing inevitable – MP

THE Government’s former transport minister has admitted road pricing will eventually be introduced.

MP Stephen Ladyman said it would take just one successful campaign to help introduce road pricing in towns and cities across the UK.

In an opinion piece for trade publication Transport Times, Mr Ladyman said the Government would be foolish to introduce a national scheme ahead of local success.

He said: "Why am I confident that road pricing is still on course, and why is the Government being so coy? Because ministers have been making their position clear, even if they have not used the highest profile opportunities to do it, because the evaluation of bids to the Transport Innovation Fund is still going on and because there is not a lot for ministers to gain by shouting about their plans until they have something concrete to say when that evaluation process is completed.

"But I am confident that road pricing will go ahead for another reason. Because I remain convinced it is inevitable."

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New powers urged for council chiefs

TOUGH new transport powers should be handed to council leaders if the Government wants to see road pricing introduced, according to a leading think tank.

Road charging and strict control of bus routes are two of the options suggested by the New Local Government Network, which has warned the Government against a national scheme of road tolls.

The Government is known to favour local road pricing schemes but, fearful of the political backlash, has insisted local authorities push ahead and introduce individual schemes.

And in a strongly-worded report, the respected think tank has told the Government any national road pricing would be "like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut".

The report instead calls for funds to be handed over to city leaders and for new bus powers.

At present bus operators have to be approved by one of six national traffic commissioners.

The think tank called for the commissioners’ bus powers to be handed over to locally elected passenger transport groups.

Newcastle City Council leader John Shipley said: "It would be very difficult to sell congestion charging anywhere in Tyne and Wear without a major investment in public transport."