Member Article

NE could benefit from road pricing

The North East needs an efficient transport infrastructure if road pricing is to work in the region, according to the Confederation of British Industry. CBI North East have declared that the Government needs to get the details right in order to get the most benefit from the plans. The statement was issued following the Prime Minister’s email to members of the public who signed an online petition to persuade the Government not to introduce road pricing. The CBI believe that the central objective of any scheme should be to reduce congestion rather than generating income, and that any extra money raised should be spent on improving the transport system.

Sarah Green, CBI North East Director, said: “The benefits are potentially huge - by 2025 road pricing could halve congestion, lifting economic growth and saving firms and individuals huge amounts of time - but it is vital to get the details right. Nowhere more so than in the North East where an efficient and good quality transport infrastructure is vital for future economic prosperity. “There is a great deal to be done to gain a greater understanding of how road pricing would work in practice. It is critical that this work continues – and that must include better communication by the Government about why it is contemplating heading down this road and what the benefits could be.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .