The Road Pricing / Car Tax Thread

[Feelingpink]

Like DJ, I'm in favour of road pricing. Particularly to end the School Run ...

Perhaps I'm a cynic, but don't believe that any kind of financial disincentive will change the school run. Just another piece of red tape to deal with and very little/no advantage to anyone.

There's not a single argument in favour of driving kids to school, unless either a) you believe the streets are swarming with paedophiles or b) the cost of shoe leather is getting a bit much these days. I mean, I walked/cycled/bussed it to my secondary school for 5 years [cue Adagio from Dvorak's New World Symphony], and it were up a right steep hill too, never did me no 'arm...

Sometimes public transport/bikes/walking is not suitable because of the distances involved - eg a public school across London with no relevant bus route and being beyond walking/biking distance for the age of the child, especially primary school, which you don't mention in your post.

[Dreadful Scathe]

Sometimes public transport/bikes/walking is not suitable because of the distances involved - eg a public school across London with no relevant bus route and being beyond walking/biking distance for the age of the child, especially primary school, which you don't mention in your post.

Im sure he did that too and did not get dropped off in a Landrover The school run should be specifically banned or made very difficult and transport provided. The use of cars in a family is a recent phenomena, education authorities managed to put on school buses for kids in the past without problems. I remember when I was at school one boy lived so out of the way that the council found it cheaper to provide a taxi for him.

"a public school across London with no relevant bus route" ... will not have one because it does not need one

[Feelingpink]

I would like there to be much less use of cars driving short distances where walking or cycling would work perfectly well - for so many reasons - but don't agree that threatening to charge people to drive would have any real effect. Do you know of anyone who gave up smoking only because it had become too expensive with government taxes?

[Lynn]

Im sure he did that too and did not get dropped off in a Landrover The school run should be specifically banned or made very difficult and transport provided. The use of cars in a family is a recent phenomena, education authorities managed to put on school buses for kids in the past without problems. I remember when I was at school one boy lived so out of the way that the council found it cheaper to provide a taxi for him.

"a public school across London with no relevant bus route" ... will not have one because it does not need one

I can understand parents wanting to drive their children because they think its safe - but I hate the school run traffic. Personally it doubles my journey time - its amazing how much less traffic there is on the roads in school holidays. But I also drive past a couple of school drop off points and am horrified at times by the parents chucking the kids out at the side of the road, the many near accidents caused by dangerous car manouvering and the children who literally run out in front of cars to get across the road to their school. Its not exactly safe for the children!

I think its good to reduce the number of car journeys where public transport is a suitable option - but I think there needs to be more work on improving the public transport (certainly locally) before they expect people to leave their cars behind.

[David Bailey]

I would like there to be much less use of cars driving short distances where walking or cycling would work perfectly well - for so many reasons - but don't agree that threatening to charge people to drive would have any real effect.

It has in London - it reduced traffic by 30%, according to this report.

Do you know of anyone who gave up smoking only because it had become too expensive with government taxes?

To quote the CDC report:

"Most studies indicate that a 10% increase in price will reduce overall cigarette consumption by 3% to 5%. "

So charging more for stuff can work in changing behavioural patterns.

[Brian Doolan]

I believe the idea of tracking every vehicle at all times is sinister and wrong. Road pricing is already here with the high level of taxation on fuel. The more you travel - the more tax you pay.
There'll be no need to have "Road Safety Cameras" on every stretch of straight road as, with vehicle tracking, the authorities will know, within 2/3 mph, what speed you're travelling at and fine you accordingly.

They'll also know exactly where you've been, that's the sinister part!

If you agree with this click here to petition the Prime Minister to scrap the plan. There are already in excess of 1 million signatures.

The petition closes on 20th February.

[Feelingpink]

Yup - not a good thing - this is already on the forum here.

[frodo]

... Road pricing is already here with the high level of taxation on fuel. The more you travel - the more tax you pay.

True. I guess we're talking about the introduction of intelligent or directed road pricing.

There'll be no need to have "Road Safety Cameras" on every stretch of straight road as, with vehicle tracking, the authorities will know, within 2/3 mph, what speed you're travelling at and fine you accordingly.

True, and it would be so much better than bright yellow painted cameras in known locations in reducing dangerous driving. So there is a much better argument for tracking than if frequently relocated hidden cameras were used.

They'll also know exactly where you've been, that's the sinister part!

It is perfectly possible to have an independent agency administering it which doesn't share data on driving movements within the law.

[David Bailey]

I believe the idea of tracking every vehicle at all times is sinister and wrong.

Actually, so do I - but I very much doubt that'll ever happen.

Road pricing is already here with the high level of taxation on fuel. The more you travel - the more tax you pay.

Yes, but the point of road pricing is to reduce congestion - and allow flexibility of pricing, so as to try to manage such congestion. Which is exactly what currently happens with every other transport system, why should roads be different?

[David Bailey]

If you agree with this click here to petition the Prime Minister to scrap the plan. There are already in excess of 1 million signatures.

The petition closes on 20th February.

There are now 1,532,115 signatures. Blimey, that's a lot of people.

I wonder if it'll hit 2M by the 20th...

[Lynn]

There are now 1,532,115 signatures. Blimey, that's a lot of people.

I wonder if it'll hit 2M by the 20th...

Another 5387 in the past 3 hours so it might...

[Lynn]

If anyone is interested in the other side

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Introduce road pricing nationwide and channel the money into improving public transport and conditions for walking and cycling.

can be found here. Not convinced it would work out like that in terms of distribution of the income....

[Dreadful Scathe]

I signed it

[David Bailey]

I signed it

Me too.

Of course, I'll probably get lots of Government spam now...