PEOPLE should pay more to drive their cars - but the extra money reaped by the Government should go on improving public transport, says a Liberal Democrat.
Dr Elisabeth Wilson, parliamentary spokesperson for Colne Valley Liberal Democrats, has welcomed the suggestion from a cross-party group of MPs that there should be increases in fuel tax in order to reduce vehicle emissions.
They say petrol should be made more expensive to reduce vehicle emissions linked to global warming.
The Commons Environmental Audit Committee has called on ministers to use increases in fuel tax to subsidise public transport and alternatives to conventional fuel.
Dr Wilson said: "This cross-party report rightly makes it clear that the current system encourages private driving over public transport.
"More must be done to reverse this trend. Of course there are always some rural areas where car driving is the only sensible means of access.
"Small but important measures like the Marsden car-sharing scheme can cut down car usage.
"Overall it is important to make sure the cost of motoring to the environment is fully addressed."
