LEICESTER will become the first British city to experiment with urban road-pricing in an extensive trial project starting this summer. The scheme uses carrot and stick tactics to encourage motorists to avoid driving into the city centre by using state-of-the-art park and ride facilities on the outskirts of town.

Volunteer participants will be given a choice of paying a fee to drive all the way into town, or taking a high-speed bus from the park and ride at a reduced cost. Charges have still to be set, but will vary according to congestion and air quality levels, with a maximum levy on days of bad congestion and pollution and lower charges outside peak hours.

The Leicester project is part of the wider Eurotoll project, which is designed to measure the effects of different incentives and disincentives on driver behaviour. Its main function is to establish what sort of price levels and standards of public transport would persuade commuters to abandon their cars.