Cars Don't Rule | Green Energy News

February 16, 2003 – Vol.7 No.47

CARS DON'T RULE.

Even if the air pollution problems of vehicles were solved, governments can’t continue to build more and more roads to accommodate more and more cars and trucks. In fully developed urban areas there simply isn’t the space to build more roads. And it’s safe to say that few would approve of any notion to tear down homes and business just to accommodate more cars.

Though it’s hard to imagine draconian measures to reduce congestion, such as restricting vehicle use, governments can create disincentives to drive by charging fees, or tolls, for access to certain roads or communities.

Transport for London has begun charging a GBP 5.00 fee ($7.90) for weekday, daytime trips into Central London - the area inside the Inner Ring road of approximately eight square miles (21 square kilometers). Aside from creating a disincentive to drive, the fees from the Congestion Charge scheme will be used to expand mass transit services.

There are no toll booths along streets that enter the area - just 900 cameras at 230 sites that take pictures of number plates on vehicles. Pictures are fed into a computer database where plate numbers are compared against drivers who have paid the fee for that day. If a match is made the picture is deleted from the database. If NO match is made drivers are fined up to GBP 80 ($126). Drivers can pay fees anytime on the day of travel, or beforehand, by the latest means - Internet, cell phone, kiosk, text messaging, or in person at participating retailers.

There are exemptions, of course. Aside from emergency vehicles and passenger buses (small ones included), drivers behind the wheel of some alternative fuel vehicles don’t have to pay the daily charge. Residents living within Central London receive a hefty 90 percent discount of the Congestion Charge fee

Already 30 other British cities are looking at the scheme. You can bet that transportation managers around the world are looking too. Visit Transport for London Congestion Charge at https://www.cclondon.com/ .