GRAHAM Carter raises a number of issues regarding the government's proposals for road pricing that deserve a response.

I am surprised that he should view road-pricing with such disdain, as the system would do much to create a level playing field between private and public transport.

Road pricing is a radical solution that primarily is about securing allocative efficiency of scarce resources, namely road space.

To describe the plan as 'pathetic' shows much misunderstanding of the way in which the market can best be used to bring about a charging system that is far more equitable, effective and efficient than the current one of a flat-rate charge through the road fund that allows unlimited use of road space albeit augmented by fuel duty.

Road pricing is aimed at dealing with road space not as a 'public good' free at the point of use, but as a scarce resource charged according to frequency and time of use. Reducing pollution is tangential to the argument and simply serves to confuse the principles upon which debate should be based.

The claim that charges will 'push traffic on to side roads' is one often raised against road pricing, but ignores the fact that the system is one of variable charges.

Were side roads to be used more heavily, then they too would be subject to charging.

The 'Big Brother' argument is worthy of debate, though one must observe that most of us are already 'tracked' through the use of CCTV, detailed telephone bills, the internet and bank cards. One can say, therefore, that the infringement of civil liberty is not as great as Mr Carter would have us believe.

The argument of cheap public transport ignores the fact that transport has 'negative utility.' This means that people seek to reduce the time spent on travelling to the shortest period possible, which does much to explain the attractiveness of the car. The real challenge for public transport is to make it quicker, not cheaper.

Contrary to Mr Carter's assertion, road pricing would place car transport on the same footing as public transport since users would pay at the point of use, and more importantly pay a price based on the true cost of their decisions.

KEVIN HEY, Castle Road, Colne.