国际英语新闻:Road pricing should be introduced in central London: assembly report

LONDON, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- A system of road charging in Central London is needed after a report published Thursday showed traffic delays in Britain's capital is costing 6.8 billion U.S. dollars a year.

The cost to London of traffic delays has risen 30 percent in just two years, the report by the London Assembly Transport committee reveals.

The call for action, in a report called London Stalling, came as mayor Sadiq put London on toxic air alert for at least three days.

His office warned that air pollution could rise Thursday in 17 London boroughs as well as the downtown City of London area.

Khan said air pollution is expected Friday to hit a high peak in Westminster and the Square Mile area of the city.

In its report, the transport committee has called on Mayor Khan to reform the London Congestion Charge and ultimately replace with it road pricing.

The committee suggests a scheme of charging people for road usage that is targeted at areas of congestion, at the times traffic congestion occurs.

Currently motorists entering the central area of London pay a few of 11.50 pounds (12.20 U.S. dollars) each time they enter the charge area on weekdays. Evenings and weekends are free of the charge.

The report says that in the short-term, the congestion charge should be reformed to better reflect the impact of vehicles on congestion.

The daily flat rate, it is recommended, should be replaced with a charging structure that ensures vehicles in the zone at peak times, and spending longer in the zone, face the highest charges.

The London Congestion charge was introduced in 2003 and remains as one of the largest congestion charge zones in the world.