Pay-as-you-go road charge plan

eek. · Jun 5, 2005

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>My own view is that electricty can't really be taxed, unlike gas, so the Gov
are looking for an alternative to fleece the motorist of the future when oil
runs out etc and electric cars become common.

--------------------------------------------------
'Pay-as-you-go' road charge plan

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>

New charges could be used to tackle road congestion

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Drivers could pay up to £1.34 a mile in "pay-as-you go" road charges under new government plans.

The charges, aimed at cutting congestion, would replace road tax and petrol duty, Alistair Darling has said.

The transport secretary told newspapers the change was essential if Britain was to avoid "LA-style gridlock".

Every vehicle would have a black box to allow a satellite system to track their journey, with prices starting from as little as 2p per mile in rural areas.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5>

</TD><TD class=sibtbg> Unless action is taken now, the country could face gridlock within two decades

Alistair Darling

At-a-glance: Road charge plans

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Mr Darling has outlined his proposals in several of Sunday's newspapers - previewing a speech he will give to the Social Market Foundation on Thursday.

A satellite tracking system would be used to enforce the toll, with prices varying from 2p per mile for driving on a quiet road out of the rush hour to £1.34 for motorways at peak times.

'Facing gridlock'

The Department of Transport says the scheme would be fairer because those who travel greater distances would pay the most.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5>

</TD><TD class=sibtbg>HAVE YOUR SAY
It is more likely to make people think about the cost of a journey before undertaking it

Giles, Hitchin, UK

Send us your comments

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>"We have got to do everything we can during the course of this parliament to decide whether or not we go with road pricing," Mr Darling said.

"Unless action is taken now, the country could face gridlock within two decades."

If public reaction is favourable, as the government expects, a pilot scheme planned for the Leeds area could be rolled out nationwide within the next 10 years.

'Act now'

The Environment Agency's Nick Rijke warned that shifting money away from fuel duty, as was being proposed by the transport secretary, would take away the incentive for people to use green vehicles.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5>

</TD><TD class=sibtbg> The main message from the Environment Agency is we do not want people to wait for government policy to change - we want people to act now themselves

Environment Agency

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

"There would be no difference between me driving on the motorway in a green car as opposed to a five-litre Jaguar," he told BBC News.

"That would be a problem for environmentalists.

"The main message from the Environment Agency is we do not want people to wait for government policy to change - we want people to act now themselves."

Mr Rijke urged motorists to car share or use public transport wherever possible.

Environmental group Friends of the Earth broadly welcomed the introduction of road charging but warned it would be "no magic wand" in tackling the transport crisis.

Money raised through charging must be invested in the transport system to improve alternatives to car travel, spokesman Tony Bosworth said.

"The reality is road pricing won't be introduced for years - we need action now," he added.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4610755.stm



</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Marco · Jun 5, 2005

Probably the fairest way to do it. Pay for it as you use it. More or less a consumption tax.

When the oil wells start pumping sand I'm thinking it would be more practical to have mass transit systems where people jump on a streetcar or subway or just scoot your bloody bum around on a bicycle....

Tough to imagine Britain having gridlock of the likes of LA.....road rage doesn't have quite the same spice to it when you give someone the finger and pretty much know that the person you're giving it to won't have a gun to fire back at you with.....:monsters-

Phaedrus · Jun 6, 2005

Why can't electricity be taxed like gasoline? It's a finite, metered quantity ... last time I read my power bill there was tax right there on it based on my kw/h used.

Phaedrus

WildBill · Jun 6, 2005

Silly argument to say its bad for environment. Black box will get programmed for what sort of car you have and fees adjust accordingly. This is good sound economic policy, creating incentives to workers not to live 50 miles away from the job and employers not to congregate in one area unless its well served by public transportation. Even better it would encourage modest work hour changes and even legitimize telecommuting more.

As it is we have billions of economic costs for our road system that drivers don't care about because they face no direct bill beyond gas. Then again I am sure the true socialists will complain about the burden this puts on the poor.

eek. · Jun 6, 2005

It could move a lot of people out of the cities IMO.

If its 2p to drive around rural areas and £1.50 a mile in town I would seriously consider unassing the city sooner rather than later.

A major drawback for the system is tinfoil.

It blocks all the signals, like with a mobile phone.

line your garage and your black box with tinfoil and they can't detect you as you drive around.

...which makes rural life even more appealing...since there's hardly any police in the countryside.

Marco · Jun 6, 2005

"...which makes rural life even more appealing...since there's hardly any police in the countryside."

Reminds me of that movie I saw a while back about that master thief you guys had that took all that artwork and got murdered....I think it was a one word titled movie.....

There was a scene in the movie where the police were openly following this guy while him and his buddy were driving thier car......he took them way out in the country, drove for hours....then stopped and filled the gas tank with a five gallon can from the trunk, and proceeded to drive in the country until the cops following them ran out of gas......

Was pretty cool when they broke into the art gallery, set off the alarm, then covered the sensors in the room up.....went off into the woods, the cops and the curator showed up, shut off the alarm, locked up the place, the crooks waited for everyone to leave, broke in again and the alarm didn't sense them and didn't go off. Then they cleaned out the whole room and left.