What change do you want to make now to address the climate change crisis? Reducing the amount of cars being driven into city centres to the detriment of public health and quality of urban experience. What do you need to make this change? Commitment of national and local politicians
I already try my best to avoid visiting Glasgow and Edinburgh because of the obscene parking charges, instead going to the fort as its easier to get to, free parking and generally a more pleasant place to be. This would be the final nail in the coffin for city centres.
Because it might actually work as a disincentive to drive into cities. That is why the driving class hate it so much.
In Dundee 42% of the house holds do not have access to a private car or van but the city sufferers from traffic induced air pollution (killing an estimated 75 people a year - FOTE figures). Congestion charges will not only help lower emissions but also reduce air pollution.
Can't see any positives to support this. Cars will still be needed when they become electric and no use making cities less attractive than they are already
Just another way to punish motorists
Punishes everyone and makes roads only for the wealthy. Bad idea.
bad idea that punishes the poor, will destroy city centres and will arguably just cause people to drive further to places not in the city centre
Would be highly unpopular and probably not achieve much.
I agree that this idea could be positive for reducing congestion and pollution in cities, however as others have pointed out, there is the risk that this would only negatively impact poorer people with wealthy people not being bothered by having to pay. Thus if a charge was introduced if there is a way to scale it with regards to income that would be preferable (this is done for speeding and parking charges in some other countries). There should be no charge for blue badge holders.
Punishes the poor and makes driving unfairly expensive. Once cars are electric emissions wont be an issue. Also public transport will never suit most people over the car in terms of speed and comfort and conveinence so not sure this would work anyway
Rather odd idea that the vast majority of people would never support.
Congestion charging is one of the few ways which has been shown to reduce the number of cars entering a city. It should be introduced along with measures to mitigate the negative distributional impacts. Revenue recycling, e.g., investing toll revenue in improved/cheaper public transport, has been shown to further increase the benefits of introducing road pricing. Stockholm even got people to vote for it after trialling a system and then having a referendum.
Cities are for people, not cars. The arguments against this citing it "punishes the poor" are in my opinion ridiculous. "The poor" are not those who are clogging up the streets in polluting, private vehicles! But we do need better alternatives like options for transporting large/heavy items in and out of the city centre privately and obviously improved public transport and active travel infrastructure.
would never have public acceptability (and rightly so!)
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