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Road Pricing

: I take issue with the hon. Gentleman's earlier comments. I understand that the congestion charge of £5 led to a substantial reduction in traffic when it was introduced. More recently, concern was expressed that people were beginning to take to the roads again. One reason for increasing the charge to £8 charge was not merely to deal with the revenue deficit but to maintain the impetus in getting people out of their cars. The hon. Gentleman's most recent comment—that only if the economic cost to motorists was significant would they use their cars less—was valid.