§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport in which year the Government first began to examine the issue of road pricing; and what are his current proposals.
§ Mr. KeyIn May last year we published a Green Paper "Paying for Better Motorways" (Cm 2200) on the principle of direct charging for the use of inter-urban roads. The intention to publish this consultation document had been announced in the autumn statement in November 1992. On 2 December 1993, column650, my right hon. Friend announced the Government's intention to introduce electronic charging on motorways when the technology was ready and subject to Parliament's approval of the necessary legislation.
The Government's research programme on the possible role of congestion charging in London was announced in 1991, and the Government have subsequently been co-operating with local authorities outside London which wish to examine the possibility of city congestion charging for their area. The Government are not committed to the introduction of city congestion charging, whether in London or elsewhere.