LANCASHIRE is safe from London-style congestion charges until 2006 at the earliest, it was revealed today.
As drivers commuting into the Capital get used to new £5-a-day charges for using certain streets, other cities around the country have admitted they too are looking at charging drivers to travel around their centres.
A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "Our plan runs until 2006 and does not include any plans for congestion charges anywhere in East Lancashire, or in the county as a whole."
And the man in charge of regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Council, Andy Kay, has admitted it is something they cannot rule out.
"At the moment it is not even on the horizon," said Coun Kay. "We are looking at other forms of traffic management to improve traffic flow and the town centre as a whole.
"The orbital route is due to be completed and this will make a big difference because drivers will no longer have to travel through the centre if they aren't stopping in it.
"There are other roads issues we are looking at, dealing with in the town centre, but the congestion people might experience in Blackburn is on a much, much smaller scale to the problems in the centre of London. However, we can't rule anything out."
Future transport plans and policies are governed by Local Transport Plans. As a unitary authority, Blackburn with Darwen produces its own, while Lancashire County Council produces one for the rest of the county, apart from Blackpool.
The Government then gives cash every year to help fund projects set out in the Local Transport Plan. This year's cash allocation has helped fund the completion of Blackburn's orbital route and pay for a second bridge to built at Eanam to make it easier for traffic to get to the M65.
What MPs think about the 'tax'
EAST Lancashire MPs were dubious about the congestion charge in London but said it had no place in the area they represented.
Janet Anderson, Greg Pope and Peter Pike were adamant there was no need to bring in the traffic levy in town such as Clitheroe, Blackburn, Burnley, Accrington, Nelson and Colne.
Rossendale and Darwen MP JANET ANDERSON said she was in the constituency this week and would reserve judgment on the London congestion charging experiment until Parliament reassembled on Monday.
But she said: "There is nowhere in East Lancashire that needs congestion charging. Blackburn with Darwen doesn't have the traffic problems that would require it."
Hyndburn MP GREG POPE said he couldn't comment on congestion charging in London until he had seen how it worked.
But he did confess that his flat was 100 yards outside the area where the tax was being introduced so he would have to pay if he drove to work at Westminster.
He said: "I tend to drive or walk. I think in future I'll walk. But there is no case for congestion charging in East Lancashire. There is no gridlock like there is in London, and Accrington is far too small to need such a charge."
Burnley MP PETER PIKE said: "There is certainly no case for congestion charging in East Lancashire. The towns and the traffic problems are too small.
"I would have to pay the charge if I drove in. Sometimes I get the bus and sometimes I drive. However, if I am required in early for a Commons committee I can't afford to wait 20 or 30 minutes for a bus that is supposed to arrive every eight minutes. I suppose I will just have to pay the charge and drive.
"The jury is out on a congestion charge in London but public transport is simply not good enough. The bus service I catch is often inadequate to stop me using the car."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article