Consider congestion charges carefully

• Motorists could abandon towns with a £5 charges
• Nearly a third said they would go to another town
• RAC Foundation urges towns to consider options

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Towns and cities need to carefully consider the introduction of congestion charges if they don't want to alienate motorists, according to new figures released by the RAC Foundation today.

According to the research, almost a third of drivers would go to a different destination if a £5 charge were introduced, although 27% said they would still travel but by other means. Of the 1000 shopping motorists interviewed, 21% said they would pay a charge but visit less frequently.

Speaking at the Association of Town Centre Management's annual conference today, RAC Foundation executive director Edmund King said: 'Minor changes such as parking controls or major changes such as congestion charging can ruin retail if not well planned.

'Cars are the shopping trolley of convenience, but motorists will vote with their wheels if too many restrictions are brought in.'

Many towns and cities in the UK are considering introducing charges with funding from the Government.

The Department for Transport's Transport Innovation Fund has set aside at least £2 billion for congestion-charging projects around the UK to 2014, by which time the Government thinks a nationwide system could be introduced. So far, 22 council schemes have won awards worth millions from the fund.