Road tolls find business support

Congestion charging in Northern Ireland's towns and cities would be welcomed by many business leaders, a survey has found.

The Institute of Directors survey examined attitudes to transport infrastructure and congestion.

Of those surveyed, 44% said they would be happy with congestion charging.

Charlie Henderson of PA Consulting said: "Business leaders surprisingly are not adverse to road pricing, providing it reduces congestion."

Traffic-choked roads had led to increased costs among 35% of respondents, while 82% said congestion had hindered customer access.

More than two-thirds of those surveyed believed the transport infrastructure was satisfactory or good, but 90% called for more government spending to make improvements.

Forty percent suggested government expenditure could be diverted from other areas, while 16% said they would support tax increases to fund better roads.