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DoT warned that road pricini plans could miss 1006 launc
Page 10
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• by Domkic Perry Concern is growing within the industry that the government will miss the 2006 deadline to implement its plans to charge trucks for using Britain's roads.
The proposals were originally announced in the 2001 Budget in response to complaints from UK industry that foreign trucks were not paying anything to use British roads. Originaily touted as a 'vignette' system, this was refined in the 2002 Budget to become a distance-based charge for both British and foreign vehicles.
Although the charge is not due to be in place until 2006, there are already worries over the slow progress being made on the project, particularly following the delays to Germany's similar e-Tolls plan, which is seen as a forerunner to the UK's scheme.
James Hookham, director of policy at the Freight Transport Association, says that for the government to stand any chance of meeting its deadline it will need to see plans within the next month.
Hookham adds: "The bottom line is that we have told them what we want and they need to come back with the technical spec. If it's going to be in place by 2006 we'll need at least three years' n Roger King, chief executive of tht Haulage Association, confirms that is a lot of work still to be done: "We p out to the government that we have get a move on because the new s needs to be authorised by the tin next financial bill is passed so it before Parliament quickly, "Even if we'd had the system c then we'd still need product develor testing and then installation to nearly million vehicles. We won't get to thal for a year or 18 months at least."
However, a spokeswoman for Cu: which is administering the project promises that the scheme is still on tri the 2006 deadline: "We will be able 1 duct more definitely when the charge implemented, once initial feasibility has been completed.
"We will be meeting with Germa cials to talk about their scheme, and h learn from the problems they have ei tered," she adds.