Fears capital road toll plan will hit shoppers

CONTROVERSIAL plans to charge motorists £2 to drive into the centre of Edinburgh have been dealt an embarrassing blow - before they have even been officially launched.

Edinburgh City Council will this morning unveil ambitious proposals it claims will raise 50 million a year by using two toll cordons to cut congestion and help fund public transport improvements.

But Fife Council yesterday announced it was funding an independent study into the proposal amid fears that shoppers from the Kingdom will be penalised with the money raised from the tolls they pay being spent within the capital.

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Allan Jackson, Edinburgh’s Conservative transport spokesman, said: "This is a substantial obstacle and only the first. Edinburgh has become associated with Labour’s aggressive anti-car stance and many people are being put off doing business here.

"There is a feeling in areas outwith the city that drivers will be charged extra but the extra money for public transport improvements will be spent only in the centre. We think they have a point and we vigorously oppose these tolls."

In a statement, Fife Council said it wanted to find out how and where the money raised by the tolls would be spent. It has already voiced concern over the proposal with the Scottish Executive and has suggested the ownership of the tolling initiative should be shared among local authorities across the whole of east central Scotland.

The chair of Fife Council’s environment and development committee, councillor Mike Rumney, said: "It’s vital that we identify the likely spin-offs for Fife from these charging proposals. As the numbers of commuters continue to rise across the bridges, it’s our aim to invest in quality public transport alternatives to the car and cut down on congestion.

"We have to know that this scheme is fair to the increasing numbers of people who commute to Edinburgh from Fife and contribute to the Edinburgh economy."

Willie Dunn, the economic development convener of West Lothian Council, said: "We oppose the outer cordon because it punishes people who don’t clog up the centre but still have to enter the greater Edinburgh area. It also creates anomalies. Someone from Balerno or Currie would have to pay to shop at the Gyle, while someone who drove all the way round the city bypass to shop there would not pay a penny. That does not make sense."