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Nine months after London started to charge motorists for driving in the city Centers, leaders of the world's cities are trying to repeat London's trick of cutting traffic jams. Since February 17 motorists have had to pay £5 to drive in central London on weekdays or risk a fine of £80 if they fail to pay. There are now 50,000 fewer cars entering central London every day, a drop in traffic of 16 per cent. A host of other cities is also likely to follow suit, including Lisbon, Paris, Milan and New York, not to mention a number of cities in Japan and South America. A second option, Phil Blythe a specialist in electronic says, is to use Global Positioning System (GPS) to track vehicles, a system already used in Switzerland to charge heavy lorries for the distance they travel. But tall buildings can block GPS signals in city centers. INSET: SMARTER WEAPONS TO TAX AWAY TRAFFIC.

The article analyzes whether initiative such as traffic congestion fees could be effectively implemented in North America. Congestion fees are generally set to discourage use rather than raise revenue and involve fixing a price to a road based on the demand for using that road. Singapore introduced this system almost 30 years ago, however, it is said that what works in one jurisdiction may not succeed in another. A straight-forward congestion fee was introduced in London, England, in 2003 that only applied to weekday drivers. Congestion fees are said to have a limited foothold in North America, despite their proliferation in Europe and Asia.

The article looks at discussion surrounding the implementation of a national road-pricing scheme in England. Transportation and politics do not mix. Road and rail policy operates on time-spans of a decade or more, offering little electoral advantage to ministers, who are never more than five years away from losing their jobs. So it was nice to see Alistair Darling, the transport secretary, taking the long view last week by restarting the debate on using pricing to reduce congestion on Britain's worsening roads. Everyone agrees that big changes are needed. The problem is not a lack of capacity (most roads are empty most of the time) but the lack of an efficient system for allocating it. A system that charged individual drivers for the costs of increased traffic density, vehicle emissions and damage to the roads would encourage more efficient use of a scarce resource and be fairer to boot.

Presents information on articles featured in the January 1955 issue of "Geographical" magazine. Progress in the east of Pakistan since the 1947 partition from India; Plan to alleviate the traffic congestion in Cambridge, England.

The article investigates the reduced traffic flow due to closures at the Blackwell Tunnel in London, England. According to the Transport for London (TfL), the main reason for the tunnel closures is over-height vehicles due to the lorry of drivers ignoring the height restriction warning signs. It highlights the efforts of the tunnel traffic police team in preventing incidents that might lead to tunnel foreclosure.

The article discusses the problems of unobserved lorry overtaking bans, spiralling congestion, a distinct lack of secure parking and a creaking infrastructure servicing at the A14 road in England. The government is working to ease some of the problems on the road including the construction of additional roads and pumping money into technology to manage traffic. A spokesman for Geoff Hobbs Haulage stated that problems are also caused by ignorance among heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers.

The article reports that Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) is bidding for millions of pounds of government funding to help ease traffic jams in the city and it plans to introduce a congestion charge. A ?500m package, designed to reduce traffic levels by 10%, will include a revamp of the city's public transport and a Monday-Friday congestion charge of ?3-5. CCC leader Shona Johnstone believes a congestion charge is the only way the city can reduce the numbers of vehicles entering the city.

The article reports on the possible increase in traffic congestion in largest cities in England by 2011 according to British Secretary of State for Transport Douglas Alexander. Local authorities are responsible for reducing road congestion. The Department for Transport is considering the West Midlands Urban Traffic Management and Control Project to address the issue. There is a 4.4% increase in traffic in cities.

This article reports that West Midlands, England could become the first region in the country to introduce road pricing as a way of tackling congestion. On October 7, 2005, leaders of the conurbation's seven councils agreed to ask for government funding to investigate the idea. They say congestion in the region is already costing the local economy £2.5 billion a year and traffic volumes are forecast to rise by 15% in the decade to 2011. If the study is approved, funding for it will come from the government's £18 million transport innovation fund for exploring bold schemes to tackle congestion.

Reports on the efforts of Jerry Blackett, chairman of the West Midlands Business Transport Group, to address the congestion problem in England. Benefits of a traffic scheme for hauliers according to Blackett; Information on a revised Local Transport Plan prepared by West Midlands transport planners; Cost of congestion in West Midlands annually.

Focuses on plan to revamp the emergency queuing system for trucks waiting to cross the English Channel to reduce disruption to the M20 mortorway in England. Selection of Operation Stack to revamp the system; Background on a review commissioned by the Kent County Council to examine ways of dealing with illegal truck parking in Kent.

Presents information on the result of a meeting in Stoke, England aimed at devising a solution to the traffic problems in the place. Persons who attended the meeting; Issues discussed at the meeting.

Reports on the failure of the congestion charge scheme in London, England to improve since it started operation in February 2003. Complaints against the scheme; Increase in red tape and administration costs in the transportation industry; Factor required in the delivery of a wide range of quality improvements.

Offers news briefs concerning the congestion charging in England as of June 2003. Effect of congestion charging on traffic jams in London; Court order received by Sussex-based Tony Parks Transport for failure to pay congestion charge penalty; Details on the London delivery disc proposed by the Freight Transport Association that would exempt hauler operators from congestion charging.