Acceptability of road pricing - John Walker - 040511

[simonrockman]

There is a new RAC report saying that the UK is out of step not wanting road pricing.

Read, mark and inwardly digest

[AndrewW-G]

Looks like I wont be renewing with the RAC

[simonrockman]

It seems to say "People think they don't want road pricing but they don't know what's best for them".
They use the fact that Ken Livingstone was elected when he had road pricing in his manifesto as 'evidence'. They ignore the fact he was elected when his major rival - Archer - became embroiled in a sex scandal and that he proposed a £5 congestion zone, he was ousted when he brought in a congestion charging zone and then whacked the price up to £8 (pending £10 and £25), and that the consultation on extending it found against it.

They say it's non necessarily a means to raise taxes, and then say it's necessary to raise taxes when there is an increase in alternatively fuelled transport.


Some of the 'evidence' is exceptionally dubious.

Simon

[Fittster]

AndrewW-G said:

Looks like I wont be renewing with the RAC

I don't think the RAC foundation is connected to the RAC recovery service.

[thinfourth2]

And you thought they had forgotten about it.

Nope

Road pricing is coming and there is nothing we can do about it.

[chrisispringles]

I'd say it depends, if I were to have to pay to use a motorway network that was better maintained, had a higher speed limit and was specifically for longer journeys across the country - like the péage sections of French autoroutes - then I would be okay with it. Paying even more to use the current outdated, crumbling and congested road network is unreasonable though.

[simonrockman]

And how much better are London roads since congestion charging?