RE: Congestion Charge Zone Increases
Wednesday 11th August 2004
Congestion Charge Zone Increases
West End of London to be hit with tolls
Ken Livingstone has given the go ahead to extending London's congestion charging scheme.
Despite widespread opposition from residents and businesses, shopping districts such as the King's Road and Knightsbridge are to be encompassed in the growing charge zone.
The A40 and Park Lane will remain free to use despite being within the new zone.
Plans are afoot to implement the new zone in 2006 after the formalities have been dealt with in the interim.
Discussion
Ken's been using those left-wing politics again, ignoring the proliteriat (sp?) as they know nothing compared to he and his assembly. I'd imagine like the original charge area and the forthcoming Thames gateway bridge somebody (likely Capita) has been working on it long before it has been signed-off and approved officially - making them essentially dotting i and crossing t exercises 
Why did people vote him back in again?
Why did people vote him back in again?
I notice the Environment Department want to raise the price of petrol and spend the increase on public transport.
This doesn't make any sense whatsoever - they want to screw the motorist further, with the intention of forcing them out of the only thing that pays for the only (inadequate) alternative, all in the dubious name of the environment.
It's movement control, I'm telling you.
This doesn't make any sense whatsoever - they want to screw the motorist further, with the intention of forcing them out of the only thing that pays for the only (inadequate) alternative, all in the dubious name of the environment.
It's movement control, I'm telling you.
Smoking seems to be suffering from the same government catch 22, not that I smoke mind 
I recall Clarkson once who quoted the tax on cigarettes and how many hospitals it could be used to build, but then the NHS don't want to treat smokers even though they are kind enough to make more than enough additional tax payments through their habit to cover themselves.
Same goes for the talk of hospitals charging for NHS treatments for car related accidents, billions of motorists tax spare, surely the NHS get some of it...
I recall Clarkson once who quoted the tax on cigarettes and how many hospitals it could be used to build, but then the NHS don't want to treat smokers even though they are kind enough to make more than enough additional tax payments through their habit to cover themselves.
Same goes for the talk of hospitals charging for NHS treatments for car related accidents, billions of motorists tax spare, surely the NHS get some of it...
Tripps said:
Smoking seems to be suffering from the same government catch 22, not that I smoke mind
I recall Clarkson once who quoted the tax on cigarettes and how many hospitals it could be used to build, but then the NHS don't want to treat smokers even though they are kind enough to make more than enough additional tax payments through their habit to cover themselves.
Same goes for the talk of hospitals charging for NHS treatments for car related accidents, billions of motorists tax spare, surely the NHS get some of it...
IMO the ultimate Government Catch-22 situation is that of alternative fuels.
Think about it - this country has an Oil Seed Rape mountain, pretty much going to waste and draining farmers' pockets.
Oil Seed Rape Oil can be used in diesel engines in the same way as sunflower oil can be, and there are no really harmful emissions.
The Government can't/won't tax it, as it doesn't harm the environment enough to attract the kind of taxation petrol merits.
However, if the high taxation of petrol due to emissions is supposed to be to stop us using so much of it, why can't we use something that doesn't harm the environment?
If they were honest about their 'environmental' policy, they'd be offering farmers and motorists an olive branch over this one. Instead, I have a feeling that they intend to use rising oil prices and environmental arguments to bring motorists to their knees so they can dictate to us exactly what their idea of 'motoring' is.
Same as LPG, if that ever becomes really popular they will tax it the same as Petrol and Diesel. The UK Government tax Diesel the same as Petrol which costs all of us as everything we consume is delivered using Diesel. The Government should tax Diesel at two rates, if you purchase in excess of say 100 litres at a time you get it at a cheaper rate this would stop cars getting the cheap rate, but would help commercial transport.
The UK Government is thinking of "taxing" pubs/footy clubs etc. for the cost of Policing at events or for Friday/Saturday night kicking out time. A spokesman for the Pubs industry very cleverly pointed out that they as an industry already put £15 Billion per annum into the Government coffers and yet the Government spend less than £10 Billion in total on The Police.
As we all know The Police are partly funded through your council tax and also speeding tickets.
The same logic applies to tax on smoking and petrol, but as we all know the UK Government would rather spend the money or supporting minority disadvantaged groups than spend the money or the people that contribute the tax.
The UK Government is thinking of "taxing" pubs/footy clubs etc. for the cost of Policing at events or for Friday/Saturday night kicking out time. A spokesman for the Pubs industry very cleverly pointed out that they as an industry already put £15 Billion per annum into the Government coffers and yet the Government spend less than £10 Billion in total on The Police.
As we all know The Police are partly funded through your council tax and also speeding tickets.
The same logic applies to tax on smoking and petrol, but as we all know the UK Government would rather spend the money or supporting minority disadvantaged groups than spend the money or the people that contribute the tax.
Red Ken's Ring does not need expanding!
He has spent far too much of Londoner's money on it already, and it has returned half of the revenues he predicted - if he was running a business on borrowed money he would have liquidated by now (would prefer liquidised!), and yet somehow, he is getting away with it.
Kensington and Chelsea is predominantly a residential community compared to the existing zone which has far more businesses/commuters in it. It is merely a tax on the wealthiest borough in the UK for owning a car and using it to drive to and from a home (and no, I don't live in the Borough!)
The best solutions to ease congestion are:
1) Get rid of speed bumps - I have to drive over 51, yes 51(!) to get to work and back and my commute is under 2 miles, I kid you not, which apart from making me want to buy an un-PC off-roader to tackle them is causing long term damage to my car. And no, there is no tube or convenient bus link to work. All speed bumps do is make the traffic slow too much which in turn has a knock-on effect to junctions etc. Cycle -no thanks, but I have bought a scooter which can zip between the bumps!
2) Take out bus lanes which cause congestion - how many roads do you know of that go from 2 lanes into 1 in London and cause chaos - Fulham Palace Road, York Road to name just a couple, then there's the one on the M4 but let's not go there now...
3) take out those silly bus stop extensions into the road which mean all the traffic has to stop while a bus loads and unloads passengers.
4) Reduce the number of buses - they clog up junctions by sitting across them on red lights, and instead, invest in the tube infrastructure, by laying on more tube trains. Put Air conditioning (that works) in the carriages and stations so that in winter it's not a fridge and in the summer it's not the sahara - police them properly so people feel safe using them, make them civilised and people will use them instead of cars.
5) Stop lorries/Transit vans from pulling over wherever they like and causing congestion, especially on side roads, where they could easily park up 10 yards down the road, but decide not to walk 30 feet, so pull up directly outside where they are.
6) Have overnight deliveries to stores and shops for lorries instead - surely the time and money saved due to non-congestion has to have a lower cost than employing someone to do a night shift to accept the deliveries?
None of the above is not rocket science - it is all common sense. Council planners and the like of Red Ken clearly don't drive a car around London or anywhere else. Guess what - they are in a minority, people need cars to get around, and we need people who drive and need cars to be running our infrastructure, not the likes of Red Ken.
Rant over - thanks for listening...
He has spent far too much of Londoner's money on it already, and it has returned half of the revenues he predicted - if he was running a business on borrowed money he would have liquidated by now (would prefer liquidised!), and yet somehow, he is getting away with it.
Kensington and Chelsea is predominantly a residential community compared to the existing zone which has far more businesses/commuters in it. It is merely a tax on the wealthiest borough in the UK for owning a car and using it to drive to and from a home (and no, I don't live in the Borough!)
The best solutions to ease congestion are:
1) Get rid of speed bumps - I have to drive over 51, yes 51(!) to get to work and back and my commute is under 2 miles, I kid you not, which apart from making me want to buy an un-PC off-roader to tackle them is causing long term damage to my car. And no, there is no tube or convenient bus link to work. All speed bumps do is make the traffic slow too much which in turn has a knock-on effect to junctions etc. Cycle -no thanks, but I have bought a scooter which can zip between the bumps!
2) Take out bus lanes which cause congestion - how many roads do you know of that go from 2 lanes into 1 in London and cause chaos - Fulham Palace Road, York Road to name just a couple, then there's the one on the M4 but let's not go there now...
3) take out those silly bus stop extensions into the road which mean all the traffic has to stop while a bus loads and unloads passengers.
4) Reduce the number of buses - they clog up junctions by sitting across them on red lights, and instead, invest in the tube infrastructure, by laying on more tube trains. Put Air conditioning (that works) in the carriages and stations so that in winter it's not a fridge and in the summer it's not the sahara - police them properly so people feel safe using them, make them civilised and people will use them instead of cars.
5) Stop lorries/Transit vans from pulling over wherever they like and causing congestion, especially on side roads, where they could easily park up 10 yards down the road, but decide not to walk 30 feet, so pull up directly outside where they are.
6) Have overnight deliveries to stores and shops for lorries instead - surely the time and money saved due to non-congestion has to have a lower cost than employing someone to do a night shift to accept the deliveries?
None of the above is not rocket science - it is all common sense. Council planners and the like of Red Ken clearly don't drive a car around London or anywhere else. Guess what - they are in a minority, people need cars to get around, and we need people who drive and need cars to be running our infrastructure, not the likes of Red Ken.
Rant over - thanks for listening...
I would like to see some of the rules in Europe introduced onto the roads here. For example on the motorways in Belgium/Holland/Germany Lorries are not allowed anywhere except the slow lane during the rush hours.
Remove all traffic calming measures in London and other major cities, they cause congestion on already clogged roads.
Personally I never drive into London as I prefer to take the train then tube or bus to get to where I need to go.
Remove all traffic calming measures in London and other major cities, they cause congestion on already clogged roads.
Personally I never drive into London as I prefer to take the train then tube or bus to get to where I need to go.
My biggest problem with Congestion Charging, is that on the times when I need to drive into / through London where it is not feasible to use public transport, I sometimes forget to pay. Two weeks ago that happened twice in two days, both times after midnight I realised.
They should give drivers up to 72 hours to pay.
Still they sent me two nice pics of the car.
They should give drivers up to 72 hours to pay.
Still they sent me two nice pics of the car.
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