Congestion Charging
Almost half of British adults (47%) support charging for road use to reduce peak-time congestion -- as long as this leads to lower road tax, according to new MORI research. The survey conducted for Detica shows a third (34%) oppose the idea.
When asked how they think drivers should be charged under such schemes, the public are split over their favoured mechanisms. A quarter (26%) favour the Government's proposed approach of charging based on the mileage driven. Slightly more (33%) say the size of the vehicle's engine and the level of emissions (29%) are better mechanisms.
If encouraged by additional benefits, seven in 10 vehicle owners (73%) would consider having an in-car tracking device. Top of the list of benefits is allowing the emergency services to be able to locate vehicles quickly in the event of an accident (32%), followed by an automatic discount on the road user charge for all who have the device fitted (29%).
Technical details
MORI, commissioned by Detica, interviewed a representative sample of 1,075 adults across Britain, aged 15+, between 19-23 May 2005. Interviews were conducted face-to-face. No incentives were offered to respondents. Data have been weighted to match the known population profile.
Q1 How often do you travel by road, whether by car, bus, bicycle, or any other form of road transport?Base: All respondents (1,075)
| % | |
|---|---|
| Once a week or more | 94 |
| 2-3 times a month | 2 |
| Once a month | 1 |
| At least once a year | * |
| Less often | 1 |
| Never | 1 |
| Don't know | * |
Q2 Do you think Britain 's roads are too congested or not?Base: All respondents (1,075)
| % | |
|---|---|
| Yes -- congestion is a problem everywhere | 57 |
| Yes -- it's a problem mainly on motorways | 12 |
| Yes -- it's a problem mainly in urban areas | 28 |
| No, I don't think the roads are too congested | 8 |
| Don't know | 2 |
Q3 Which of the following represent your biggest concerns about the impact of road congestion?Base: All respondents (1,075)
| % | |
|---|---|
| Makes journey times unpredictable | 45 |
| Causes pollution which can cause health problems | 45 |
| Causes accidents | 39 |
| Contributes to global warming | 32 |
| Leads to more roads having to be built | 26 |
| Creates noise pollution | 24 |
| Makes me late for meetings, appointments and engagements | 19 |
| Increases costs to UK businesses | 15 |
| Other | 2 |
| I have no concerns about the impact | 4 |
| Don't know | 1 |
Q4 Which of the following do you think would be the best way to tackle the problem of road congestion?Base: All respondents (1,075)
| % | |
|---|---|
| Provide better public transport | 64 |
| Provide free public transport | 35 |
| Encourage more people to work from home | 21 |
| Introduce priority lanes to those vehicles that carry two or more people | 18 |
| Build more roads | 18 |
| Introduce more congestion charging, so people pay to access certain well-known congestion hotspots | 14 |
| Introduce more toll roads, such as the M6 Toll around Birmingham | 13 |
| Ban lorries on Sundays | 11 |
| Charge by the mile, remotely | 5 |
| Increase taxes on road users | 5 |
| Increase the price of petrol | 4 |
| Don't know | 7 |
Q5 If there were a charging scheme for using British roads, which of the following criteria do you think should be used to work out how much road-users are charged?Base: All respondents (1,075)
| % | |
|---|---|
| Size of their vehicle's engine | 33 |
| Exhaust emissions their vehicle produces | 29 |
| Type of vehicle they used | 27 |
| Mileage, the distance they travel | 26 |
| Time of day travelled | 23 |
| Number of people in the car | 17 |
| Location and use of public transport, i.e. those living near mainline railway stations or with good local bus services pay more to use the roads | 16 |
| Driving history, such as speeding fines or insurance claim records | 13 |
| Don't know | 13 |
Q6 Generally people pay higher prices at peak times to use services like telephones and trains. Suppose in the future the same idea was used for paying or road use with the aim of significantly reducing congestion. So there would be a charge for driving on congested roads at peak times, and no charge for driving at off-peak times. Overall, how strongly do you support or oppose this suggestion if all revenues raised were returned to the road user through lower road tax?Base: All respondents (1,075)
| % | |
|---|---|
| Strongly support | 15 |
| Tend to support | 32 |
| Neither support or oppose | 16 |
| Tend to oppose | 18 |
| Strongly oppose | 16 |
| Don't know | 3 |
Q7 If more road use charging schemes were introduced and you HAD to pay to use the road, which method of payment would you prefer to use?Base: All respondents who are road users (940)
| % | |
|---|---|
| Cash or credit card at toll booths on the roads | 33 |
| An electronic location device in my car that automatically deducts funds from my account or credit card when I drive on chargeable roads | 25 |
| Annual permit for driving on certain types of roads, e.g. on motorways | 15 |
| Calling a contact centre and paying in advance of my journey | 5 |
| Text messaging to pay in advance of my journey | 3 |
| E-mailing a contact centre and paying in advance of my journey | 2 |
| None of those/other | 11 |
| Don't know | 7 |
Q8 In-car electronic devices that locate your vehicle and electronically deduct a charge from your account are one way that road-user charging could work. Which of the following potential benefits would encourage you to consider having such a device fitted to your vehicle?Base: All respondents with vehicles (872)
| % | |
|---|---|
| Enable the emergency services to quickly locate you in an accident | 32 |
| Automatic discount on the road-user charge for all who have the device fitted | 29 |
| Save hassle of repeated payment transactions | 25 |
| Help insurers understand how you drive and potentially bring down your personal insurance premium if you are a good driver | 24 |
| Bring you real-time traffic information relevant to your journey | 18 |
| Provide proof that payment has been made | 16 |
| Provide information on and directions to places such as petrol stations, historic sites, car parks and restaurants | 10 |
| I already have such a device in my car | 1 |
| None of these / Nothing would make me have an in-car device | 20 |
| Don't know | 6 |
| ALL NAMING A BENEFIT | 73 |
Q9 If extra money was raised by more widespread use of road-user charging, what would you prefer it to be spent on?Base: All respondents (1,075)
| % | |
|---|---|
| Providing cheaper public transport | 42 |
| Improving and extending public transport | 36 |
| Reducing fuel tax or road tax | 35 |
| Improving the state of Britain 's roads | 34 |
| Funding research into alternative fuels, such as hydrogen, electric fuel cells or hybrids | 25 |
| Environmental projects aimed at lowering air and noise pollution levels | 20 |
| Building more roads | 11 |
| Providing more traffic police | 8 |
| Providing more traffic calming measures | 5 |
| Other government spending outside of transport | 4 |
| Don't know | 5 |
Q10 Which of the following, if any, would you like to see banned from British roads during rush hour to reduce congestion?Base: All respondents (1,075)
| % | |
|---|---|
| Farming vehicles, such as tractors | 43 |
| Construction vehicles, e.g. diggers | 34 |
| Wide-loads | 33 |
| Caravans | 31 |
| Cars involved in the school run | 20 |
| Lorries | 19 |
| Learner drivers | 18 |
| Four by four or other off road or sports utility vehicles | 14 |
| Cyclists | 7 |
| Foreign registered vehicles | 5 |
| Recently qualified drivers | 3 |
| Coaches | 3 |
| Buses | 1 |
| None of the above | 12 |
