

TOWNS in the Chiltern district could become choked with traffic and parked cars if a cash toll for inner London-bound motorists is introduced.

At a meeting of Chiltern District Council's Environmental Services Committee on Tuesday night, councillors were told that the new charge will push up the demand for parking space at tube and rail stations throughout the district.

It is thought motorists will leave their cars in towns like Amersham to use the tube and avoid the charge.

But many councillors were also concerned that another knock-on effect of the toll could be a huge rise in road congestion.

Cllr Mimi Harker (Con, Chesham Bois and Weedon Hill) said: "The traffic is bad enough already. More people will be coming into an area which is already congested enough. We are running out of space."

The Greater London Authority (GLA) is working on plans to introduce a congestion-busting charge of £5 per day for each vehicle heading into inner London.

London Mayor Mr Livingstone hopes the tough approach will cut traffic.

Cllr David Meacock (Con, Gold Hill, Chalfont St Peter) said: "People will be going to and from the stations at the same time and clogging up the local roads."

The district council is now writing to the GLA to see if it will stump up some of the cash needed to provide more parking space.

A spokesman for the GLA said the charge would only apply to a very small area of central London.

He added: "These proposals are in their very early stages. We want to get more people on to public transport but more consultation is being sought."