Drivers entering Edinburgh city centre could be facing a new congestion charge if more people refuse to take up public transport, according to officials.
Those using their cars in central zones may be forced to pay a daily fee of £3 after plans that were initially rejected 20 years ago could resurface.
In a bid to encourage the use of public transport, Transport convener Scott Arthur stated that a fee could be used as the council tries to improve bus links in the next few years.
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"It fits into a bigger picture about our plans to improve and expand public transport links from surrounding local authorities, making it easier and more efficient and increasing capacity on those links to the city centre," Cllr Arthur said.
Earlier this year at council elections, the SNP proposed a charge of £2-3 daily at the city limit in an effort to stop commuters from driving into the city. However, critics have claimed that Edinburgh's public transport is not sufficient enough..
Labour members have pledged to work with neighbouring councils to ensure bus and train routes are improved before any charge is implemented, reports the Record.
On Thursday, a report was brought forward to a meeting of the transport and environment committee, which outlines the temporary measures which would become eventually permeant on bus routes travelling into the city.
Affected bus lines include the A1 Milton Road, A70 Lanark Road and A90 Queensferry Road, as well as the A89 near the Newbridge roundabout and the A8 Gogar underpass.
Such limits involve bus lane sections, as well as parking and loading restrictions. Cllr Arthur said: "Once we increase the capacity of those links coming in then we can say to the people in the surrounding local authorities 'There's capacity here, why don't you come on public transport?'.
"If it's efficient and working and we're sure of that, and the uptake doesn't look as if it's going to happen, then we can start thinking about congestion charging for people coming into the city centre. We think maybe by 2025 there'll be capacity in these inward links into the city itself.
"The public transport will be there, it will be usable and efficient so at that stage we can start thinking about congestion charging."
The controversial plan, which would have seen thousands of motorists paying a £2-a-day charge, was put to a vote in February 2005.
Turn-out was 61.7 per cent and the scheme was decisively thrown out by 74.4 per cent to 25.6 per cent. The rejected plan involved two cordons, one around the city centre and one just inside the city bypass, both operating Monday-Friday.
The inner cordon was going to apply from 7am to 6.30pm, while the outer one would only be in force during the morning rush hour, from 7am to 10am.
Motorists would have been charged for crossing either cordon but would have paid only one charge per day even if they crossed the cordons several times.
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