Congestion Charging Double Standards

[kevinday]

When visiting the UK at the weekend I spotted an article in the newspaper that mentioned that Government ministers with 'official' cars will not have to pay the £5 daily CC. Instead the bill will be met by the taxpayer.

I call this blatant double standards which should be dealt with as soon as possible. If it is true, what can we do about it?

[miniman]

Interesting article on BBC News today about teachers in the CC area being stung £25 a week to get to school. The argument is that (a) many women teachers feel safer travelling by car and (b) most teachers regularly have books and suchlike to carry which is very impractical on public transport.

So, if teachers got a rebate for this reason, who else should get one??

[plotloss]

I wouldnt worry about it. I reckon it will be gone inside of 12 months.

As is always the case with these sort of things they will have vastly underestimated the administrative costs of running such a scheme and when they realise its not a lucrative scheme they'll can it.

Matt.

[Don]

plotloss said: I wouldnt worry about it. I reckon it will be gone inside of 12 months.

As is always the case with these sort of things they will have vastly underestimated the administrative costs of running such a scheme and when they realise its not a lucrative scheme they'll can it.

Matt.

I wish, Matt. I reckon the introduction of Congestion Charging in London is the rather unpleasant tip of a deadly iceberg.

Durham introduced such charging - in a very small area which actually inconvenienced very few people. This Congestion Charge in Central London also inconveniences a tiny section of the populous. Even a tiny section of Londoners.

What's important is the precedent these charging schemes have set. Its now not a controversial thing to do...after all London has done it. Its paving the way for introducing charges all over the country - for no other reason than to raise taxes - without coming clean, being honest and increasing the "headline rate" - a politically disastrous move for most Governments.

I reckon Red Ken will fight tooth and nail despite the scheme losing millions to keep it in place. Not because he's a stupid man. If he were stupid he wouldn't be dangerous...no...he'll fight because he's part of establishment who's job it is to raise taxes..not in the most efficient way...but in the politically correct manner.

[rewster]

Don't know about everyone else, but my trip into Leicester City Centre where I work seems to be getting longer each day. Not because the traffic is getting heavier, but because some clever D**k has changed a perfectly good carrigeway into a bus lane. Wouldn't mind, but before this happened, the traffic flowed freely along this road, so what was the need for the bus lane in the first place??? Also, the traffic light sequences seem to have been buggered about with, which is completely screwing thinks up.

It looks like this is the preliminary action before introducing congestion charging here, when it will be put back to normal, and the local morons (sorry councillors) will claim that the charge has been a success, because traffic will feel as though it is moving better.

AND THE TROUBLE IS WE WILL ALL FALL FOR IT!!!!

Time to act now, before this gets out of control, and we get charged for walking down the street.

[joust]

Two things.

1) Ken and TFL have total carte blanch to set the charge at whever they like, without asking anyone. So - if the PFI company still can't make money out of the £130m that it will get each year, Ken just ups the charge to £10, £15 or whatever until he gets the desired effect.

2) A normal 4 hour trip around London today took less then 2 hours. Why?? Well, for a start all the roadworks that had just been re-modeling the pedestrian reservations (A1-A41 juction / Commercial Street/Shoredich High Street / Old Street circus / Tower Bridge Road etc. etc.) had all "finished" - just in time for the CC introduction. ALso, lots of the traffic lights that had been changed to slow things down, were suddenly very different today - and traffic was going around them. In fact - Hefylump & Castle was positivly flowing at 5:55pm today.

Conspiracy - you bet yah! Still - I did like the fact that I got from E1 to South Croydon in 50 minutes when leaving at 5:45pm, rather than the normal 2 hours!

I might even try it again this week to see if it was just a fluke!

J

[loserkid]

In the Times this weekend it was reported that the congestion charges would continue to increase until the result had been achieved.

[miniman]

loserkid said: In the Times this weekend it was reported that the congestion charges would continue to increase until the result had been achieved.

I guess in the same way that more and more revenue cameras will be destroyed until the result has been achieved?

[neil_cardiff]

loserkid said: In the Times this weekend it was reported that the congestion charges would continue to increase until the result had been achieved.

Just like the congestion is too, I bet.

[maranellouk]

joust said: Two things.

1) Ken and TFL have total carte blanch to set the charge at whever they like, without asking anyone. So - if the PFI company still can't make money out of the £130m that it will get each year, Ken just ups the charge to £10, £15 or whatever until he gets the desired effect.

2) A normal 4 hour trip around London today took less then 2 hours. Why?? Well, for a start all the roadworks that had just been re-modeling the pedestrian reservations (A1-A41 juction / Commercial Street/Shoredich High Street / Old Street circus / Tower Bridge Road etc. etc.) had all "finished" - just in time for the CC introduction. ALso, lots of the traffic lights that had been changed to slow things down, were suddenly very different today - and traffic was going around them. In fact - Hefylump & Castle was positivly flowing at 5:55pm today.

Conspiracy - you bet yah! Still - I did like the fact that I got from E1 to South Croydon in 50 minutes when leaving at 5:45pm, rather than the normal 2 hours!

I might even try it again this week to see if it was just a fluke!

J

50 minutes is a sweet time. I would def. time it next run just to see.

*Interesting how roadworks which have been in place for a long time(suspiciously)seem to vanish eh? All at the same time too. Makes me sick what they are doing and the fact that their pissing about is all funded by the taxpayers. As for the MP's not paying for the CC..............F******&^%#($&#@^!#*$)*&!!!!!

[williamp]

Time to leave the country???

I'm already looking at moving into Europe somewhere...

[jimbro1000]

How about we pool our finances and buy an island somewhere. Build our own roads (without speedtraps) and drive how we like. If the island is small enough (a handful of miles across) you could even have a permanent one-way system and call it a racetrack

So you have to drive 30 miles instead of 1 if you are the wrong side of the "shop" but you would have so much fun you'd wish you could do the same on the return journey

[joust]

maranellouk said:50 minutes is a sweet time. I would def. time it next run just to see.

Will do - I'm thinking most people have given up going the "normal" way due to all the road works - wonder how long it will be before they all work it out!

*Interesting how roadworks which have been in place for a long time(suspiciously)seem to vanish eh? All at the same time too.

Of course it could be said that they were all effectivly project managed to ensure they didn't overrun - but it looks dam convient to me. Still - if all the changes they have made work, and the journey keeps to 50mins or so, I might really be tempted to drive in all the time as that is quicker than the walk-train-tube-tube-walk journey I currently have, and I wouldn't have all those people coughing all over me that I'm convinced make me all the time - now that would be ironic that the changes would have actually placed another car on the road

As for the MP's not paying for the CC..............F******&^%#($&#@^!#*$)*&!!!!!

I'm not that fussed really - they are paid by our taxes, and so at the end of the day we would pay for it either way. At least them not paying it means the private company that runs it doesn't get their %age for them

J

[TJMurphy]

I drive into London each day, pre-congestion charge and back out again post-congestion charge. I'm still struggling with the congestion charging rules - they apply if you drive within the time limits (7:00 am to 6:30 pm) but, according to the website, if you're parked in the zone you have to pay as well (caught by traffic wardens?). At the moment I'm in a private car park, with a large gate so I'm ok but come on Ken, if I'm not adding to any of your traffic light / road works generated congestion then you shouldn't be taxing me.

Oh, and my drive out of London last night was surprisingly clear too. I just bet it's going to get worse from next month travelling outside the times.

[deltaf]

Good idea Jimbro...i like that one.
But with a slight twist...i suggest putting up gatsos all over this island petrolhead utopia (its ok calm yourselves) but "modify" them so that they flash at say oh...a 100.
Anyone going LESS than the speed limit gets a big fat fine and points too.
But if ya get more than 12 points, youre allowed to sneak out in the middle of the night and torch the bastard that flashed ya!
Good or what? ...yeah i know ive completely lost it....