COMPANIES in London have given an almost unanimous thumbs-up to road-user charging plans which would send their fleet running costs soaring by tens of millions of pounds - yet may not fully solve congestion problems. The findings come from business support group London First, which consulted more than 300 members on what is claimed to be the first truly workable road-user charging scheme - the London First Transport Initiative.
Car drivers would pay £5 a day to enter the capital under the scheme while LCV drivers would pay £10 and heavy goods vehicle drivers £15. Charges would run from 7am to 7pm and car-owning residents would be charged an annual £104 fee. Exemptions would be kept to a minimum - emergency vehicles, buses, taxis and Orange disabled badge holders - and would not include essential car users.
Nearly half the companies surveyed said they would suffer financially if the charges were introduced but, despite this, 97% said they would be prepared to bear the cost provided revenue raised was ploughed into improving roads and public transport in the capital to speed up traffic.
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