Road charging schemes get a step closer
Draft Local Transport Bill 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.
Need we say any more.
We must have the Greediest government in the world*
(*until proven otherwise)
Need we say any more.
We must have the Greediest government in the world*
(*until proven otherwise)
And possibly dictatorial (so-called) democratically elected government
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
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!!
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.
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......
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".
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?
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!!!
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