A DOZEN local authorities have held talks with Capita Group, the operators of London's congestion charging system, to discuss helping them introduce their own charging schemes.

The company, whose first-half profits increased to £51.1 million from £40.2 million from the same period last year, said it was in a strong position to pick up new business as it had the skills and systems in place for charging schemes.

In a statement, the company said: 'There continues to be a high level of interest in the scheme by local authorities in the UK and abroad.'

The company estimates it had received about a dozen approaches from local authorities in the UK. And a survey commissioned by the London Assembly shows an extension of London's congestion charge has won backing from residents in Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea.

It found that 53% of residents want the £5 per day charging scheme to cover their area. However, the report also found lower levels of support for such a scheme – in Havering and Croydon it was as low as 16%.