the initial plans envisaged a charging scheme that operated in the city centre between 7am and 7pm, monday to friday, starting in 2006. the intention was to use similar technologies to the london scheme, with automatic number plate recognition systems to record vehicles passing the cordon boundaries, and fines issued to those who had not paid using the driver and vehicle licensing agency database to trace vehicles. pre payment would be allowed as well as payment at a number of locations. vehicles would be charged £2 to pass one of the two cordons. one would be at the edinburgh city bypass and the other surrounding the city centre. there would be only one charge to enter the city centre, even if both cordons were passed or cordons were passed several times in one day. it was also proposed to block off side roads to stop rat running.