Policy: Understanding Local Dynamics

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The key to tackling congestion is an understanding of local conditions and tailoring solutions to them. Emphasis has been placed on the local authority to try to develop localized schemes. The Traffic Management Act of 2004 imposed a new duty on local traffic authorities to ensure the effective flow of traffic (i.e. all road users including cyclists and pedestrians) on road networks and to facilitate the same on the networks of others. To help facilitate this goal, the 2005 Budget established the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) for tackling congestion in local areas. However, current low levels of uptake of local road pricing schemes may reflect a lack of local authority expertise and the influence of public opinion. The referendum in Edinburgh resulted in an abandonment of plans to introduce road user pricing measures potentially dissuading other local authorities of implementing similar schemes (Veitch and Bakir, 2007). The fragmented nature of local government can impair initiatives to implement congestion charging schemes. Another example is the ten local authorities placing a joint TIF bid for the Manchester city-region, which have encountered inter-authority disputes with two councils withdrawing support. Nevertheless, with the success of the London scheme among others, the city-region as a space of geographic and political convergence has potential for addressing the transport sector’s impact upon climate (Anable and Shaw, 2007).

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