| David Spaven, chairman of transport interest group TRANSform Scotland.  Congestion charging is the sensible way forward because not enough money is being spent on public transport. The plan for the capital is a coherent integrated package for the future prosperity of Edinburgh.
We are basically happy with proposals for the two cordon system as proposed, because a good case has been made. The outer city cordon will also guarantee that funds go to the surrounding councils of Midlothian, East Lothian and West Lothian. About 40% of the money raised will be spent on public transport outside Edinburgh. In future with cameras you may be able to charge by tracking route, journey-times and pollution. The plan is not perfect but it's the only show in town and I would urge people to get behind it in February. Modelling that has been done predicts we will see a 30% reduction in peak-hour traffic so walkers will see the benefits immediately. There will be less pollution, buses will be more reliable, the air will be cleaner and there will be fewer crashes, so less people injured and killed. For motorists using the zones, it will be a better place to drive as there will be less congestion. The 42% of Edinburgh house-holds who have no car will come out best. The cordons are not a panacea but this is not a time to quibble, the proposal is fundamentally right and will put Edinburgh at the cutting edge of transport policy. There has been scaremongering by retailers, but this group is not always the most visionary. Since the 50s and 60s retailers have been objecting to pedestrianisations and traffic calming measures. The fact is that they are safer and cleaner and people love them and they are good for business. The time is right to press ahead and see benefits for the whole city economy. There is all to play for and it is very important that the citizens of Edinburgh consider the balanced debate. 
|  | Tim Steward, chairman of East of Scotland Federation of Small Businesses. We have conducted a survey of our 4,000 members in the East of Scotland and had a response of about 20%, which is a statistically significant as most surveys go. From our members we found that 76% opposed congestion charging inside and outside of Edinburgh. We've already seen that retailing in central Edinburgh has lost out massively to Glasgow in terms of quality stores and also to peripheral malls, which offer ease of parking. Lots of retailers believe the �2 charge will act as yet another disincentive, when you add on parking costs once you have entered the cordon and the risk of �30 fines. It all adds up to making the city centre unattractive. The FSB has looked at the small business implications of congestion charging in London. Of the order of 60% of businesses have said they will have to relocate, 40% are looking at redundancies, in the order of 70% have registered a downturn and about 80% have seen no significant improvement to access and goods services. There is no indication that charging benefits London. Our point of view is that the council has failed to address the issue of parking in central Edinburgh. Options like underground parking as seen in other European cities have not been fully explored - they've dodged the issue and gone for a solution that will hit the city economy. Radical transport solutions have not been considered. I believe people will still use cars, but they will go to malls where they can park conviently. I think what we'll come to realise is the hollowing of the doughnut as small businesses relocate, there will be a negative effect on tourist business on places like the Royal Mile. Workers too, I believe, will still use their cars, which over the course of a week for a small business with three or four staff - that's an extra �30 or �40 on their wages bill. You will see an impoverished and denuded city centre.
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