Kinnock in ‘fairer’ road pricing call

Date: 21/12/1995

TRANSPORT Commissioner Neil Kinnock is suggesting a wide range of financial measures to reduce congestion, accidents and pollution on the EU's roads.

But launching his Green Paper on “fair transport pricing”, Kinnock denied that he was seeking to discriminate against car users.

“The Green Paper is not anti-car, nor does it bluntly recommend higher road taxes. At the moment, some transport users pay too much, others too little. This system is both unfair and inefficient,” he insisted.

Suggested measures include the introduction of road tolls in urban areas, differentiated fuel taxes to reflect the varying quality of fuels and vehicle taxes linked more directly to how much environmental damage or noise cars actually cause.

The paper also calls for discussion on possible adjustments to road charges for lorries to make pricing fairer, kilometre charges based on damage caused to road infrastructure, and insurance systems that link risk and mileage to the premiums paid by individual road users.

Its concern stems from data suggesting that traffic congestion costs the EU about 2&percent; of Gross Domestic Product every year, accidents cost another 1.5&percent; and air pollution a further 0.6&percent;, totalling around 250 billion ecu annually.

The Commission's initiative has been welcomed by the European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E), which called it “a major step forward”.