Council on Sustainable Development revives toll idea in search for options to reduce air pollution The controversial idea of electronic road pricing, which has been debated in the city for more than two decades, will return to the agenda next year when the government's top advisory body consults the public on whether the scheme should be adopted to help improve the city's air quality. The consultation, to be launched by the Council on Sustainable Development, will also ask whether bold measures should be taken when air pollution is high. Such action might include charging a premium for the use of roads during peak periods, banning the use of diesel-powered vehicles and equipment, and reducing the use of oil-based paints, solvents and cleaners. The council, headed by Chief Secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan, will also seek views on whether legislation, tax penalties and incentives should be introduced to foster energy efficiency measures, such as setting air conditioners at 25.5 degrees Celsius in all offices and schools, mandatory energy-comsumption labels on domestic appliances and compulsory green building codes in new blocks. These measures were identified by the council as priorities in the effort to improve air quality. A support group is being formed by the council and a consultation document will be ready by April for a four-month engagement process, with a final report to be released by the end of next year. 'We have to clean up our backyard, do our part, and then we can ask our counterparts on the mainland to do more,' said Edgar Cheng Wai-kin, the council's vice-chairman. Mr Cheng said the city had to consider seriously charging for the use of roads. 'The technology is there and the privacy issue is no longer a big concern,' he said. 'Hong Kong has the best public transport system in the world, so why can't we make use of it and let those with money pay for using roads? With such a system, we could drive away dirty trucks, divert traffic congestion and reduce the number of vehicles on the streets during days with high pollution.' Electronic road pricing was first proposed in 1983, but the plan was dropped two years later due to strong public opposition. It was raised again in 1996, when the government spent HK$90 million on a feasibility study, but its report concluded in 2001 that there were no grounds for applying electronic tolls in Hong Kong at that time. The government last year launched another consultancy study on the issue and is now examining new technology to better manage road usage. Sources familiar with the study said the report found it was technically feasible to charge electronically for the use of roads, even though the system might not be 100 per cent accurate in tracking vehicle flow. Officials have repeatedly stressed electronic road pricing would be feasible only after the proposed Central-Wan Chai bypass was built because this could give motorists a choice of routes. But green groups and harbour activists say road pricing should be adopted first. Meanwhile, Mr Cheng acknowledged that legislation might not be the best way to enforce a cap on air-conditioning levels, saying demand-side management was needed to cut electricity use. People and companies would use less power if they could pay less per unit for low consumption, or face penalties for high-volume usage, he said. Mr Cheng conceded that even if all these efforts were made, the smog might not disappear from the city's skies for some time since smog was related to both climate and regional air pollution.