Retailers are urging the Secretary of State for Transport, Ruth Kelly, not to relinquish the power to approve how revenue from local road-user charging is spent. They fear that, without that safeguard, local authorities will exploit charging schemes as a general tax and fund raiser.
In respnse to a recent consultation on the Draft Local Transport Bill, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has called on the Government to keep the power to approve road-user schemes. The BRC believes a town-by-town free for all will allow a chaotic range of incompatible schemes which would be a particular nightmare for national retailers attempting to service stores across the country. The BRC wants consistency and good schemes, saying bad schemes will damage the viability of retail centres by reducing accessibility for customers and driving up delivery costs for retailers.
BRC Director General Kevin Hawkins said: "Unless local authorities are obliged to spend revenue from road charging schemes on improving accessibility for customers it will become just another general tax and the viability of retail outlets in the affected areas will be compromised.
"Around 60 per cent of all shopping trips are made by car. It is the most convenient form of transport for the majority of people. Shoppers will simply go somewhere else unless they see direct benefits from new road charges they are called on to pay."
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