Kinnock calls for anti-pollution toll
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by Martial Tardy • European Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock is publishing a discussion paper this week calling for electronic tags in trucks to activate a scale of road charges depending on when, how and where they are being driven. Kinnock believes that Europe's road charges must be restructured to cut congestion and penalise polluting vehicles (CM 21-27 Sept).
A spokeswoman says: "We're launching a debate on telematics that will take us right into the next century." The paper says that the European bill for congestion, accidents, noise and pollution costs the EU 1:190bn a year. Congestion alone accounts for 2% of the EU's gross domestic product; accidents cost 1.5%; air pollution and noise account for 0.6%.
Kinnock also wants road tolls in urban areas and insurance to cover all accident costs, including lost workdays.
The package of measures he suggests would help the environment, but it would almost certainly result in higher costs for road users.