Glasgow moves a step closer to congestion fee

CONGESTION charging in Glasgow has moved a step closer after city officials backed a feasibility study on the idea.

The plan comes as the city finalises its first low-emissions zone (LEZ) to tackle what has been described as a “pollution crisis”.

Councillors will be asked tomorrow to sanction a report investigating the possibility of road-user charging which is expected to be produced within the next nine months.

Several health and environmental campaign groups, and more than 350 members of the public, have signed a letter to Glasgow City Council which says charging should be introduced. It has been signed by organisations including Friends of the Earth Scotland and World Wide Fund for Nature.

The letter says: “We are supportive of road user charging, subject to it being part of an integrated, fair, green transport strategy, and would support a decision at the city administration committee to refer road-user charging to go to the environment committee for a detailed assessment of options within a year.”