Manchester council leader Sir Richard Lease, who at the time led the campaign for a congestion charge, said: "There's always a danger of comparisons with
congestion charging, but the thing with air quality is that the aim is to collect nothing.
In his manifesto, Mr Street made a pledge not to introduce universal
congestion charging across the region but Birmingham is a different story.
The former leader of the council, Sir Albert Bore, "refused to rule out
congestion charging or workplace parking to pay for a PS4 billion package of transport improvements".
His decision, announced yesterday, comes after the Liberal Democrats ran a leaflet and social media campaign against
congestion charging as part of its bid to win the Cardiff South and Penarth by-election.
Stressing that the idea was in its earliest stages, Councillor Ralph Cook said council officers had been told to examine the pros and cons of
congestion charging. One option suggested by Coun Cook would be to only charge motorists living outside the city's boundaries who travel into the Welsh capital.
Information technology company IBM (NYSE:IBM) said on Wednesday that its Stockholm
Congestion Charging System has significantly improved access to Stockholm by halving queuing times on access roads to the city in the mornings.
A spokesman for the Assembly, which is responsible for the A55, added: "
Congestion charging is mainly a matter for local authorities.
NORTH East business representatives have reacted angrily to suggestions that a
congestion charging system like London's could benefit businesses in the region.
"
Congestion charging would only be introduced after 80 per cent of public transport improvements are in place, and not before the summer of 2013."
But the council's regeneration chief Peter Millea said it was succeeding in its ultimate aim to make it easier to get around the city centre - removing the need for
congestion charging.
Council and cabinet leaders from Nottingham, Leicester and Derby and the surrounding county councils agreed not to try to get more funding to research the possibility of
congestion charging.
There are other options, such as Durham's successful park and ride scheme, which should be explored before
congestion charging.