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Government 'Must Come Clean' Over Road Charges says MEP

Tuesday 6 May 2003

East Midlands Conservative MEP Roger Helmer has demanded that the Government come clean over its plans for further road charges in the UK. British car drivers have won a reprieve from plans to introduce a Europe-wide road charging scheme, though it remains unclear whether or not the British Government will introduce the scheme anyway.

The European Commission has decided to drop plans contained in its 2001 Transport White Paper to introduce an EU-wide congestion charge affecting all modes of transport on all but private roads. However, the initiative to establish an EU-wide infrastructure charge for hauliers remains and could be in place by 2006.

Speaking from the European Parliament, East Midlands MEP Roger Helmer, said:

"The Government must come clean about its plans. The EU has dropped proposals to introduce an EU-wide road charging system for cars, but the Government is still investigating how it could be implemented in the UK.

British drivers do not need new charges on top of paying the highest fuel taxes in Europe. The Government must tell us why it is investigating an all encompassing road charging scheme when even the EU has decided that it is not a good idea."