Edinburgh urged to introduce 'commuter charge' 15 years after road tolls rejected in referendum

EDINBURGH should introduce a congestion charge for commuters, former Scottish Government minister Marco Biagi has said.

A referendum in 2005 rejected a two-cordon congestion charge Picture: John Devlin

A controversial road tolls scheme for the Capital was decisively rejected in a referendum 15 years ago.

But Mr Biagi – who is bidding to become the SNP candidate for Edinburgh Central in next year’s Scottish Parliament elections – pointed out the proposals involved two cordons, which would have meant many city residents paying the charge.

He wants to revive the idea of a charge but have just one outer cordon so the toll would be paid by people from outside the city driving in for work every day.

.St Johns Road is normally one of the most polluted streets in Scotland. Pictiure: Steven Scott Taylor

Mr Biagi says such a “commuter charge” would cut congestion and bring in extra money for transport projects.

Writing for the Evening News, he says the aim of the Labour administration at the time of the original proposal in 2005 had been a “noble” one – to reduce traffic, improve air quality and raise funds for new public transport options – but the detailed proposals for implementation were “botched”.

Residents voted 75-25 per cent against the plan for a £2-a-day charge which involved two cordons, one around the city centre and one just inside the city bypass, both operating Monday-Friday. The inner cordon was going to apply from 7am to 6.30pm, while the outer one would only be in force during the morning rush hour, from 7am to 10am.

Mr Biagi, who was MSP for Edinburgh Central 2011-16 and Local Government Minister 2014-16. says it was the inner cordon which caused much of the hostility to the scheme, as well as the infrastructure that would be required in the heart of the city.

He points to other initiatives which have been introduced since then, including traffic calming, 20 mph zones and the planned Low Emission Zone, as well as the rising cost of parking permits. “Sometimes it can feel like Edinburgh residents are the ones who are making all the changes to their lives. What about those who travel in from neighbouring areas?”

And he continues: “The census is now almost a decade old, but at that time over 60,000 trips were made by car every day by just those travelling to work in Edinburgh from outside the local authority area. That was double the number that used public transport for work journeys. If our city is to be carbon neutral by the 2030s this must change.

“Instead of a congestion charge with two zones, we could have a commuter charge, enforced only at an outer ring. This would be targeted on those who drive in from outside City of Edinburgh to work here every day, ensuring they make a fair contribution.

"Costings from 2005 showed that, even if only charged at peak hours, such an outer cordon would rapidly pay for the infrastructure needed to administer it. Now is the time to update those costings and start moving on the idea again. Such a plan could reduce congestion in the city and raise money for transport projects, without the city’s own residents having to foot much of the bill.”

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