Letter: Investing in a British road-pricing system

Sir: Your leading article today ('Clear road ahead, at a price', 1 April) is quite correct in arguing that technology is not yet ready to support a fully fledged road-pricing system.

But to suggest that the Government merely sits back and watches trial road-pricing schemes elsewhere in the world misses the role that the state can play.

By investing a relatively small sum to support electronics industry research into pricing technology, the Department of Transport would be able to influence development of pricing systems to its own preferences.

And it would ensure that, when the time is right, there is a British-built system ready for both the home and the potential export markets.

Yours sincerely,

STEPHEN WOMACK

London, SE3

1 April