Road pricing- the next way to make us pay

[lancelot]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6055128.stm

Apparently this is the next government scheme being cooked up to remove more cash from the average UK citizen.

To sum up for those who dont want to read the whole article. The government is considering to charge road users dependent on what roads they use, the more busy roads costing more.

Opinions on this?

Mine-

1) Typical government strategy- just make a new tax, dont actually tackle the root of the problem.

This will follow the exact same pattern the london congestion charge. The government will earn a fortune from the scheme, nothing will actually change including the number of cars on the road, and the price will just keep creeping up and up and up, until it costs a fortune to get anywhere yet it still takes ages...just like the london congestion charge.

2) So busy roads cost more at busy times...so what about the busy roads people have to take, to get to work for example? Im sure its not like they want to take that road on the way home from work! Why should they be penalised for where they work?

And what about the people who live on or near a particularly busy road? Is it fair that they should have to pay for the higher charge just because that is where they happen to live? Some people certainly are not living in their most desired area...

[rory_20_uk]

Done well it could be a good idea - charge people that use the damn roads more than others!

But I too fear that this will son be an extra tax...

[yesdachi]

Do you have toll roads over there?

[BigTex]

Do you have toll roads over there?

Wow, lets not bring up paying for a government service around here. This is socialism darnit, the government should ensure you have healthcare, income (regardless of current employment condition.), roads, food. We can't be having crazy idea's of how these things are going to be payed for spread. It's a government service the money is given to them by lepricons with gerbal slaves. God help those gerbal's.

But in all seriousness doesnt the UK have toll roads? It's quite an efficient way to pay for improvement or building a road, toll the people using it.
____________________
Speak softly and carry tactical nukes.

BigTex

Ridicolus
"Hilary Clinton is the devil"
~Texas proverb

[Major Robert Dump]

The problem with the toll roads in Oklahoma is that they are not a government entity to collect taxes, but rahter just an entity unto itself. This is the problem with bueruacracies. I-35 and HE bailey have had tolls for decades, yet they dont offer public bathrooms (bathrooms in mcdonalds dont count) or dependable highways. The money from tollbooths goes to the turnpike commision, a group of non-elected businessmen whose sole goal is to collect tollbooth revenue. Someone is getting screwed here. And its the taxpayers and travelers.

i could deal with a 1.25 and 1.50 toll to go from OKC to Ft Sill if it actually meant something, but it doesn't. It's not a tax, its a fee levied by some businesspeople who had their nose up Daviid Borens ass 20 years ago under the guise that they would pay for highway construction, when in fact the state would do a much more efficient and cheap job at said goal.

[Fragony]

These roads are build with brittish taxmoney, so this is taxing the brits twice. You should be able to charge commercial traffic from outside of brittain to use roads though.

[Sigurd]

These roads are build with brittish taxmoney, so this is taxing the brits twice. You should be able to charge commercial traffic from outside of brittain to use roads though.

Tell me about it...
Ola Dunk (stereotype Norwegian) makes us pay toll on certain roads and if you want to drive in the city. In addition we pay road tax, vehicle tax, fuel tax and soon a tax to be able to use studded tyres. If that is not enough, our red-green government will tax us on CO2 emission as well (Oh, we have to think about our global responsibility).
All my hard earned money goes into taxes, I’ll bet if you sum up all the different taxes we do pay on everything it’s close to 90% of your income.

WELCOME TO THE CLUB!!!

[lancelot]

But in all seriousness doesnt the UK have toll roads? It's quite an efficient way to pay for improvement or building a road, toll the people using it.

You yankees dont know how good you have it.

We have here-
1) A flat tax you pay every year ('road tax'...ok I can live with that, gotta pay something, even though something like 2% of road tax revenue goes back into roads)

2) Some of the most expensive petrol prices ever

AND!

3) Toll roads to bypass busy areas (admitedly these are not that common but they exist)...price for these in $...$3 at least...up to around $15 depending on where you are, what you are driving.

4) A daily charge to drive into London, regardless if you happen to live near there, your kids schools is in there etc etc...at the moment is £8 ($15-16)...add to which the charge zone is set to expand....(its not about the money folks really...)...and I forsee an imminent rise to £10 (nice round number eh?)

[Yawning Angel]

To put petrol tax into perspective, UK peeps (and many other Euros to be fair) pay approximately 4.57 US Dollars per US Gallon (assuming I have my maths right.

Anyway a good idea of prices can be seen here http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/eupetrolprices/

[rory_20_uk]

London congestion charges do help pay for things like buses, which are getting a hell of a lot better. And kids travel free on them (in case they need to get to school). In times of low physical activity, these kids could be dropped at the endge of the C zole and WALK. How many schools are in central london (I know, better emote over poor kids, and not city types, eh?)

[Fragony]

You have to pay to enter London, lol didn't know that. It does explain why you see only luxory cars in the centre, that never seem to stop anywhere.

just cruisin'

[satchef1]

Its getting too damn expensive to travel anywhere here now, buses are damn expensive (thankyou local council for bringing in Arriva!), driving is worse and the trains, although the cheapest way to travel, dont turn up!

Ive taken to walking, shame i live 4 miles outside of town

[Sigurd]

To put petrol tax into perspective, UK peeps (and many other Euros to be fair) pay approximately 4.57 US Dollars per US Gallon (assuming I have my maths right.

Anyway a good idea of prices can be seen here http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/eupetrolprices/

I see from your link that we pay the highest price on unleaded €1.43 and Northeren Ireland the highest on diesel €1.44

But we have been through this before and one should compare the fuel prices to average vages of the nation in question. Taking the average hourly vage and see how many litres you could buy.

Last time Italy came worst out.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

4) A daily charge to drive into London, regardless if you happen to live near there, your kids schools is in there etc etc...at the moment is £8 ($15-16)...add to which the charge zone is set to expand....(its not about the money folks really...)...and I forsee an imminent rise to £10 (nice round number eh?)

With the excellent public transport system London has, these is really no reason at all to drive into the congestion charge zone.

[lancelot]

With the excellent public transport system London has, these is really no reason at all to drive into the congestion charge zone.

Excellent transport system?...Ha ha ha...yea right.

No reason to drive into the zone??? Im sure all those Truck and Van drivers would agree with you...and that is for starters.

I wouldnt even mind so much if it wasnt the fact that the government has made it very clear through their actions that the charge is about money not public service or enviroment.

Some thoughts to consider.

Some people have to drive to work, a fair portion will be able to easily afford it I would imagine. So we have a system that makes no difference to the wealthy and a big difference for your average white van man...fair?

The charge pushes people who refuse to pay to the borders of the zone, making the people who live on the border suffer the increased congestion and pollution...so rich londoners benefit again and people who live on the border suffer...fair?

Furthermore, is it morally sound to charge road users for developing the public transport system? Drivers already pay road tax. Should public transport users subsidise the road tax costs of drivers?

I also submit that succesive governments have had years to develop a efficient public transport system. Now after years of mis-management and million £ bonuses for fat cat bosses, road users are being asked to foot the bill...fair?

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

What's not to like about the transport system? With an Oyster card it's really cheap, all of the tickets are integrated across the underground and buses, and you rarely have to wait very long (compared to most other places in the UK, anyway).

It's by far the best public transport in the country.

[BDC]

What's not to like about the transport system? With an Oyster card it's really cheap, all of the tickets are integrated across the underground and buses, and you rarely have to wait very long (compared to most other places in the UK, anyway).

It's by far the best public transport in the country.

Commuting into London at peak times will cost you about £15+ a day. That's not including underground etc. That'd be £20 for a travelcard.

Doesn't sound too much, but over a month that's about £400...