Councils are to be handed greater powers over transport policy in new legislation. The Government revealed plans in the draft Transport Bill to press ahead with road charging schemes to tackle congestion, with nine areas earmarked for road-pricing trials, and is calling for local authorities to introduce their own schemes. Councils could also have greater say over local bus services, with powers to set fares, frequencies and timetables. Think-tank, the New Local Government Network, said the draft Bill showed the Government was ‘moving in the right direction' in allowing councils more control over local strategic traffic needs. However, a spokesman warned any council introducing road charging scheme would have to show how it could improve local public transportation. Cllr David Sparks, chair of the Local Government Association's transport and regeneration board, said the draft Bill offered a golden opportunity to tackle long-standing problems and deliver better local transport. ‘The LGA has been calling on the Government to give councils greater control and a stronger leadership role to improve transport services,' he said. ‘The proposals on buses and managing local transport show ministers have taken this on board.' He said it was essential road charging did not become an extra tax, adding that people would need convincing the benefits of any local road-pricing schemes outweighed the costs offered a genuine alternative to the car.
