Transport Scotland officials have discussed the idea of a congestion charge being introduced in some regions in Scotland, and said evidence suggested that Scots would ‘accept’ this, despite the controversy surrounding low emission zones, according to a report seen by the Scottish Daily Express.

In a bid to curb vehicle use, Transport Scotland commissioned a report into road charging, where it floated the idea of charging either per day or per kilometre. While the government isn’t looking at bringing this in, officials are exploring whether councils have the power to do so.

SNP-led Glasgow City Council is already considering a congestion charge similar to the one in London. A similar scheme would cost a considerable amount to bring in if local authorities decide to do so. According to a freedom of information request, Transport Scotland officials discussed how it would look, while claiming that Scots would eventually accept being charged for driving their own car.

Briefings highlighted that “the London Congestion Charge recovered its initial setup costs, estimated at around £161 million, within the first two years of operation. It should be noted that any local RUC schemes in Scotland would vary in design and complexity; therefore the costs and cost recovery period would also vary.”

It added: “Evidence shows public acceptability tends to increase following the implementation of controversial measures, and, the public tends to favour the status quo until it shifts and they realise the benefits of the change. Examples of this include the congestion charge in London and the smoking ban.”