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Aug 26 2005 Western Mail
A congestion charge in Cardiff would be 'commercial suicide,' according to the Forum of Private Business.....
The organisation's spokesman in Wales said, 'Introducing congestion charging in Cardiff would wreck its small business community. A survey of 500 small firms in London, where public transport is much better than Cardiff, found that 58% of businesses had seen a drop in profits since congestion charging was introduced.
The policy manager at Cardiff Chamber of Commerce, said there would have to be 'real choices available for commuters before a congestion charge or a road pricing scheme could be accepted by the business community.
However a council spokes-woman said Cardiff was committed to spending half a billion pounds on improving transport and that a new revenue stream - such as a congestion charge - would be essential.
Commuter traffic into Cardiff is thought to be growing at 3% a year, 50% above the British average.
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