Other British cities are looking to follow London’s lead on congestion charging but hope to introduce more flexible, cheaper schemes that would remove more traffic.
About 35 local authorities are considering some form of charging.
Edinburgh, Bristol and Nottingham are frontrunners.
Transport for London has admitted the number of drivers paying the congestion charge in central London has fallen substantially short of expectations.
The number of £5 congestion charge payments for central London on Monday has been revised to 87,000 compared with an earlier estimate of 100,000.
The number for Tuesday was 92,000. Some 75,000 had paid £5 by 4pm on Wednesday.
Some off the deficit could be made up in fines. About 15,000 people are about to receive £80 fines for failing to pay over the first two days of the scheme.
Motoring organisations said traffic in London had returned to close to normal school half-term levels. Takings at shops within the zone have slumped.
References: Financial Times 20/02/03 page 2, The Guardian 20/02/03 page 7, The Times 20/02/03 page 12, The Daily Telegraph 20/02/03 page 8, The Independent 20/02/03 page 8
