Most councils oppose tolls
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MI Despite government backing, local authority support for urban road tolls seems to be evaporating.
A survey by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) found that 80% of councils now oppose congestion charging compared with 60% a year ago.
It blames the decline on the government's failure to give sufficient backing to the idea.
A spokeswoman says the idea has proved very effective abroad!, but adds: From a local standpoint elected officials don't have the political weight to push it through."
The Freight Transport Association says two-thirds of companies questioned in its latest survey of transport activity have experienced a sharp increase in road congestion problems.
It blames a big surge in rail passengers switching to road in the wake of last year's Hatfield rail disaster.
FTA economist Simon Chapman says: "Traffic migrating from the rail network has meant that the under-resourced road network has become over-saturated and has struggled to cope."
• Building work on Britain's first toll motorway is set to begin next week despite an admission by the Highways Agency that the 27-mile Birmingham Northern Relief Road will do little to relieve congestion on the M6 ( CA422-28 March).
The £400m scheme is due to open early in 2004,