§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to undertake trials of the viability of an urban system of road user charging as a means of reducing urban congestion. [37861]
§ Ms Glenda Jackson[holding answer 6 April 1998]Small scale trials involving volunteers are in progress in Leicester and Bristol. These are assessing behavioural responses to road user charging. Whether the Government consider commissioning further work will depend on the proposals for dealing with urban congestion that they set out in the forthcoming integrated transport White Paper. New primary legislation would be needed to enable trial or pilot schemes in which drivers were compelled to pay road user charges.