Irish Times 11 June 2003
As the latest toll road opens here, bypassing
Drogheda, a move to charge motorists according to road usage is being
debated in Britain. Michael McAleer and Gaby Hinsliff report.
British transport secretary Alistair Darling is proposing charges for
using crowded roads during the school run and "rush hour" tolls for
commuters . Seminars were held yesterday with academics and motorists'
organisations to debate practical issues of such a scheme.
Darling wants a satellite tracking device fitted to cars to clock
journeys. Commuters, school-run drivers and motorway users will bear
the brunt of the system, where charges are highest for rush-hour travel
and congested roads. As a sweetener, car tax would be scrapped and
petrol tax cut when the charges are introduced.
According to Darling, those who rarely drive, or do so "off peak",
could see car costs fall once taxes were cut. He concedes that a
nationwide system is at least a decade away but says: "If we don't
start thinking about it now, we are going to face a situation where we
will have very, very severe traffic problems. We are going to have to
face up to these choices and I want to stimulate a proper debate."
According to a recent RAC opinion poll, 76 per cent of British
motorists would accept charging if petrol prices were cut in return.
Persuading drivers and car-makers to fit satellite tracking technology
raises civil liberties concerns. Such data is valuable to police
checking alibis and to counter-terrorism surveillance. Darling said
this needs "special consideration" but he uses his mobile phone, even
though its location could be traced.
Tracking systems are nothing new here. On Monday Axa launched its
Traksure system for young drivers. Speeds and distances are monitored
via a dashboard device sending signals every three minutes through
satellite and mobile infrastructure.
In joining Traksure, drivers from 17-years of age are offered premium
discounts. For example, a 19-year-old provisional licence holder in
Dublin driving a one-litre car now pays €3,881 (previous Traksure rate
was €4,102) compared with the normal rate of €6,950 - saving 33 per
cent.
According to Axa's Brian Hughes, "every time we report on the month's
driving it's analysed. While there is no absolute number of
infringements before you are removed from the programme, we categorise
the report as acceptable or unacceptable based on each month's data.
Our average infringement rate is about 7 per cent. Those going above
that could expect a warning. Three warnings and you lose the benefits."
The system also allows customers to keep track of their cars via the
Internet. Already the system has been used to intercept a stolen
vehicle.
Additional reporting: Guardian News Service