The benefits
All groups agree that a range of transport improvements are needed for Cambridge in the coming decade. However, these all require serious funding, for which there is no sign of any alternative source of funding. The up-front money would enable an unprecedented range and extent of transport improvements to happen.
Jump below to: 1. Up-front money from government | 2. Congestion charge and revenues
1. What would the £ hundreds of millions of up-front government money fund?
2. What benefits would a charge itself have?
- More predictable journey times
- Less traffic
- Reductions in the absolute number of cars despite massive increases in housing
- Reduction in the percentage of car journeys
- Funding for ongoing maintenance
- Freeing up of road space for alternative forms of transport
Buses get stuck in traffic because of the sheer number of private motor vehicles, most of them containing a single occupant. A good demonstration of why congestion charging itself is needed. Together with hundreds of millions of pounds to make alternatives to the car more significantly more attractive, the overall scheme would provide many benefits.