Road pricing will cost you: study
Research shows that driving will cost more
'C' stands for 'Cost'
In 'Paying to Drive: Scenarios for 2010', a report published by the Independent Transport Commission (ITC), the average British car-using household could see its weekly motoring costs rise by £4 if the Government brought in congestion charges but no other changes were made. It varies around the country, with the increase being just £2 in Lancashire and Cheshire but £6 in Northumberland and Durham.
In the seriously congested Greater London area, weekly motoring costs could rise by £20. But, the report argues, "many London households do not have cars, so nearly half could see better bus services and less traffic without paying more."
Examining what would happen if the Government introduced road pricing, the report concludes that: "Assuming that the government introduced road charges but did cut fuel taxes, drivers on ring roads and in suburbs and inner districts of Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and London, in other big cities and on busy main roads and motorways would also see more dependable road travel and better mpg. Pollution in urban areas would decline. In rural districts, where the cost of motoring would fall, traffic would grow but low income drivers and the economy would benefit.
The research suggests that public transport would not be a first choice for drivers seeking to avoid the cost of using the busiest roads. They would first try to change the time of their journey or share rides with family, friends and colleagues.
The ITC argues that road pricing should not be seen as an end in itself but adopted only if it would help to create a Britain in which business was more competitive, road haulage more precise, arriving on time by car less of a lottery, and driving more of a pleasure.
Yep, we can see that happening...
Government attitude to road pricing
The Government's attitude to road pricing is, however, that raising more revenue is a good thing. Transport Secretary Alistair Darling has avoided promising revenue neutrality for road pricing schemes -- that is, other motoring taxes should be lowered to compensate. That's despite the pressure from motorists and lobby groups to ensure any such initiative should be revenue-neutral.
In its response to the Select Committee which examined the issue, the Government said: "There are strong arguments behind introducing road pricing on a revenue raising, rather than a revenue neutral, approach, if a national system were to be implemented." See link below for the Government's response.
So go drive that car now -- while you can.
Links
Welcome to a future Britain where your every last movement is recorded, and charged.
Welcome to a future Britain where tax after tax is dressed as environmental protectionism (but no, we won't build windmills), safety measures to save a few hundred lives (but thousands of deaths in Iraq are excusable).
Welcome to a cynical future Britain where Spin is more important than fact, political motive is willfully ignorant of fact.
The madmen are running the madhouse. They must be stopped!
And will they reduce petrol tax and VED? Fat chance of that happening.
Oh well, least we have a fantastic and cheap public transport system to rely on!
I don't know if the Tories would be any better but while there's a Labourite in No. 10 it ain't gonna stop and it'll gather the momentum of a runaway freight train.
git, vote for the indpendent, that way you help stop A party or B party from total control of the whole council.
would ever introduce something that would produce less revenue than a scheme already in use ????... Governmental Rule no1....take as much as possible and give as little back as possible
Governmental Rule no2....if that's still not enough,take more.
Just because its already there doesnt make it right or acceptable and certsinly not a reason to lie down and accept these schemes which have ultimately been designed to line the pockets of those who have more money then they will ever need anyway. Make no mistake, road pricing is about the government dipping its grabbing and thieving hand into our pockets yet again, and NOTHING to do with pollution or congestion.
I wonder why Neil Kinnock was pushing for Kilometer to be introduced before the next olympics? Was it for european harmony or so that the arbitary price per mile could become that same abitary price per kilometer, there by an instant increase of 1.6x the revenue for the crooks cheats and liars that are in power.
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