The decisive 3-to-1 vote against congestion charges in the Scottish capital last month has caused UK Transport Secretary Alistair Darling to delay plans for implementing the road tax in other UK cities. On February 22, 74 percent of Edinburgh residents voted against the introduction of a £2 charge to enter the city.

"The recent referendum in Edinburgh, which resulted in an emphatic 3-1 rejection of proposals for a city wide congestion charge scheme, is likely to reinforce this view and delay the development of other local congestion charging schemes," Darling said.

Audit Scotland is currently investigating why, over seven years, the government spent £8 million on the failed vote . Most recently, £1.2 million was spent on a public relations campaign and the vote itself. "The whole exercise was a waste of money because the council should have known from previous consultation exercises there was no public support for its proposals," Scottish Tory leader David McLetchie said.

"The recent referendum in Edinburgh, which resulted in an emphatic 3-1 rejection of proposals for a city wide congestion charge scheme, is likely to reinforce this view and delay the development of other local congestion charging schemes." [Darling said]