CONSULTANTS are still working on a system of imposing a congestion charge on the roads of Birmingham and the West Midlands even though it has been been given a decisive public thumbs down.
Councillors have been told a new proposal for taxing drivers for using their cars to commute into the city is likely to be produced before the New Year.
More than £6 million has already been spent by Birmingham and its neighbours in a search for a workable system of curbing congestion.
One scheme put out to consultation last Christmas suggested Birmingham should be split into zones with motorists being charged up to £5 for driving into the city.
It drew such a hostile reaction from the public that leaders of Birmingham and six other West Midlands councillors backed off.
They have submitted a £1.7 billion package of transport investment priorities over the next five years - and have told Ministers the money needs to be spent up front to compensate for years of lack of investment.
But there was a catch, city transport policy chief David Bull told councillors.
Any substantial cash was tied to the production of a properly costed business case for the introduction of road pricing.
Boffins say a system like congestion charging which has been introduced in London is unworkable in an area like the West Midlands.
Manchester and its neighbours are drawing up a scheme for road pricing to qualify for millions of pounds of Government grants to improve the area's Metro system.
And Nottingham, another city desperate for Metro cash, is planning a tax on work-based car parking places.
