Under the UK Department for Transport's Transport Innovation Fund (TIF), seven areas of England are sharing #7 million of development money to explore local approaches to the problem of congestion and the feasibility of road user charging. Exploratory work will assess the technology options (tag and beacon dedicated short-range communications and satellite-based systems), interoperability and fiscal neutrality. Awards were given to cover the three main geographical categories: major conurbations (Greater Manchester, Tyne and Wear, West Midlands), urban clusters ('Greater Bristol', Cambridgeshire) and individual smaller centres (Durham and Shrewsbury). Most of the successful bidders had taken part in the 2000 Charging Development Partnership (CDP). Details are given of the local approaches to be explored by each of the recipients of TIF funding. The Department for Transport has set up a successor to the CDP. This is the Road Pricing Local Liaison Group, which contains the seven TIF bidders, Greater London and Cardiff.
Abstract