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Road-user charge still on the cards, despite cuts
CM COVER STORY
christopher.wattontarbi.co.uk
THE DEPARTMENT for Transport (DfT) has reassured the industry that it will still work towards an HGV road-user charge despite having £683m cut from its J....15.9bn budget for the financial year 2010/11.
The cuts come as part of a £6.2bn package to reduce government spending, introduced by the new coalition, which includes specific curtailment on IT and contracted project spending.
However, a spokeswoman for the Da' is at pains to reassure the industry that a promised HGV road-user charge will still be considered, despite the 4.29% cut in its budget. "We will work towards the introduction of a new system of HGV road-user charging to ensure a fairer arrangement for UK hauliers," she says. "Details of how a scheme could operate and the delivery timescale are being actively considered. Ministers have not yet been able to consider the details of the design of the scheme, but will do so in due course."
Both the Freight Transport Association and Road Haulage Association have welcomed the commit ment to road-user charging and are pressing the DfT for more details.
However, the cuts will see improvements to the A453, A23 and M61 Junctions 5-8 curtailed, while Philip Hamond, Secretary of State for Transport, will consult with Mayor Boris Johnson on a proposed £108m reduction in the DfT"s grant to Transport for London.
A £309m reduction in the DfT's specific grants to local authorities will be matched by a £112m saving in direct expenditure, while more than £100m in rail project savings have also been identified.
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