Tuesday 22nd May 2007

Road charging schemes get a step closer

Draft Local Transport Bill to be put before parliament

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The prospect of a national road charging scheme is drawing closer this week with the publication of the draft Local Transport Bill due to be put before parliament.

The bill would give local authorities the power to trial a road pricing scheme in their towns and cities.

Although the main aim of the bill is to make the piloting of road charging schemes easier, there’re ominous signs in the small print; the bill demands that each scheme uses compatible technology – therefore making the linking of such schemes much easier - and allows the use of these pilots to be extended indefinitely.

Ministers have stated that a nation-wide scheme is at least a decade away – during which time they claim congestion levels will have raised by 25%. Any such scheme would charge up to £1.30 a mile on the busiest stretches of road at peak times.

The draft bill flies in the face of the 1.8 million people who signed a petition on the government website against such a scheme.

A government-backed report has argued that a national road-pricing scheme could rake in up to £25bn a year by 2025. The author of the work, former British Airways chief executive Sir Rod Eddington, has described the policy as an "economic no-brainer".

However, some local politicians are expressing concern over the pilot schemes and have accused the government of "blackmailing" local authorities into applying by using trial uptake as the release mechanism for additional public transport funding. Manchester and Birmingham have insisted that any pay-as-you-drive or congestion charge scheme will not be implemented without multi-billion pound investments in public transport.

There is more unrest over the trials at Westminster (both from Labour back benchers and the opposition), especially since a report into the proposals highlighted that low-income families, the unemployed and the disabled would be some of the worst affected under the schemes.

Ten areas have received government money to investigate schemes: Greater Manchester; west Midlands, incorporating Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Coventry; east Midlands, in a joint bid by Leicester, Derby and Nottingham; Tyne and Wear; Durham; Bristol; Reading; Cambridgeshire; Shrewsbury and Norwich.

Manchester is the most advanced but does not expect to implement the pilot scheme until 2012 at the earliest.

[vladd]

It'll never happen. Look at any Government/Public Sector project and they always run massively over time and over budget. Even if they do go ahead with this, but the time its working nationally, we'll all be dead.

[Double R]

this is a case where I would say "think about the Childruuuunnn"

we need to leave to our kids the same freedom on the roads that we and our parents have enjoyed

no further taxation on the freedom of movement, enough

[badboy_bazz]

said:

A government-backed report has argued that a national road-pricing scheme could rake in up to £25bn a year by 2025. The author of the work, former British Airways chief executive Sir Rod Eddington, has described the policy as an "economic no-brainer".

Need we say any more.
We must have the Greediest government in the world*


(*until proven otherwise)

Edited by badboy_bazz on Tuesday 22 May 13:01

[annodomini2]

badboy_bazz said:

said:

A government-backed report has argued that a national road-pricing scheme could rake in up to £25bn a year by 2025. The author of the work, former British Airways chief executive Sir Rod Eddington, has described the policy as an "economic no-brainer".

Need we say any more.
We must have the Greediest government in the world*


(*until proven otherwise)

Edited by badboy_bazz on Tuesday 22 May 13:01

And possibly dictatorial (so-called) democratically elected government

[esselte]

Have alook on the "your say" part of the beeb website,not too many supporters for this.....

[vetteheadracer]

esselte said:

Have alook on the "your say" part of the beeb website,not too many supporters for this.....

Since when has the Government listened to the electorate? Do you remember Tony Blair campaigning for re-elction on this policy? Nope, didn't think so.

[Mr Whippy]

I already go to York more than Leeds now to do casual window shopping and the like. Less traffic, cheaper parking, nicer atmosphere. I know why York keep it cheap, due to tourism.

Now, if Leeds impose charges, all it will do is hurt commerce, and while the local authorities reap a bit more from commuters, they'll essentially be taking the same back off commerce in lost retail.

In any small city without a decent public transport alternative (i mean decent, not half arsed old expensive crap), it's just signing a death wish with your cities prosperity. Leeds already cancelled it's decent tram system. Funnily enough this was meant to serve the upgraded Jimmys hospital which now has no easily accessible parking or public transport...

It will never work. It's a nice idea in London where people are not 20 mins away from any other commercial centre and the public transport system can work well, but anywhere else? Do these decision makers actually have a clue about the world outside London?

Dave

[esselte]

As I posted in another thread on this..oh look,something else that the Scottish MPs can vote on without fear of retribution,according to the beeb it'll only affect England and Wales...

[XMG5]

Providing Local Authorities continue to adjust the phasing of traffic light cycles, they can create congestion on the roads. They then pursuade the community that this is the only way to beat congestion and Kerchinggg!!! The money starts rolling in. Irreversable once government/local authority spending relies on the cash.

That's why Scameras are here to stay....safety? No! Revenue!!

London's congestion charge is being expanded to make more money. It's nigh on impossible to expect anyone to turn their backs on those sort of incomes.

I expect the government will allow the LA's to pocket large wedges of revenue until the system is fully in place and then they'll change the rules so that all of the revenue will go to the treasury, just like the scameras.

Done deal!!

[lostusernamedamn]

...and notice how they're trying to introduce it by stealth, in their usual manner.

Anyway, whoever thought we lived in a democracy?....

[XMG5]

Mr Whippy said:

........Do these decision makers actually have a clue about the world outside London?

Dave

More to the point, is there life worth worrying about outside London?

The government live in a bubble called London and the rest of the country serves only as its Life Support System.

[odyssey2200]

As the Gov't has ignored the petition, let's give them something they cannot ignore.

A HUGE PROTEST IN LONDON!

[ashes]

Sadly it will be about as effective as marching about the hunting ban. Still would be up for a march though.

If the Tories had a brain they could guarantee election victory but opposing this. However I doubt they will - too much moola involved

[will2425]

odyssey2200 said:

As the Gov't has ignored the petition, let's give them something they cannot ignore.

A HUGE PROTEST IN LONDON!

Yeah, like that worked for hunting

Sod this country, i'm off to spain in a couple of months. Let me know if it is ever worth coming back here

[rimmer]

if it did happen which is possible, what would they do if everyone in the country just refused to pay? they would look like a right bunch of tossers which they already are.

[buell man]

Nealy 2 million people protested on the government website, and they still intend to go ahead with the scheme. So what does that tell you??????

[david87m3]

Ten areas have received government money to investigate schemes: Greater Manchester; west Midlands, incorporating Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Coventry; east Midlands, in a joint bid by Leicester, Derby and Nottingham; Tyne and Wear; Durham; Bristol; Reading; Cambridgeshire; Shrewsbury and Norwich

I wish they would trial their projects else were. Tyne&Wear are trilaing the Home Infomation packs I take it they dont like us up here......

[Peter Ward]

ashes said:

Sadly it will be about as effective as marching about the hunting ban. Still would be up for a march though.

If the Tories had a brain they could guarantee election victory but opposing this. However I doubt they will - too much moola involved

I remember when the opposition's job was to oppose, not to agree. As an article in the Times said this morning, all the main parties are now on the centreground. Pragmatism and green-excuse taxes have taken the place of principles. "Elect me and I'll give you more of the same but I smile more/less/from a different place".

[flemke]

buell man said:

Nealy 2 million people protested on the government website, and they still intend to go ahead with the scheme. So what does that tell you??????

That are masters are benevolent and wise, and the rest of us are so stupid that we don't even appreciate them.

We're lucky to have them looking after us - elsewise what would we do?

[Velocity]

buell man said:

Nealy 2 million people protested on the government website, and they still intend to go ahead with the scheme. So what does that tell you??????

Thieving government!! Rip off Britain strikes again.

So worst case at most £1.30 per mile for my 44 mile round trip 6 days a week around the M25 including holidays thats around £17000!!!! thats around 75% of my take home pay per year!!!