I signed it

 

unfortunatly I don't belive a word Blair says (though I don't belive for a minute he wrote it)

As if.

But we're already taxed by the mile. Vat on fuel.

 

It's nothing to do with congestion (or environmental issues, the current buzz word politicians have hooked on to) it's revenue, plain and simple.

 

They should stop spending money on useless projects like the Millennium Dome and actually focus on the real problem, public transport, or the lack of it.

Much as I agree with your sentiments, that particular example is now over 7 years old, so not really fair to use.

Its also a little unfair to blame them for trying to link things in with environmental issues. As part of their job they're supposed to be looking out for our best interests, and the environment is a big issue at the moment - if they didn't say they were doing things to try and tackle it then they'd be targeted even more by the tabloids. As it is, in the great utopian world where this scheme is successful at reducing congestion (or at least minimising the increase) then it will reduce environmental impact too.


If you go along with the whole 'congestion' angle, then this is irrelevant, as the new system isn't so much taxing by the mile, but rather varying the tax per mile based on choice of road and time of day. The real problem is that this ignores the fact that different types of car (4x4's vs SMART cars for example) would be taxed the same amount for the same journey - which flies in the face of the whole environment angle.

if you belive Tony, and accept that this is all about reducing congestion, then the ONLY way it can work is by making travelling at certain times and on certain roads more expensive

which means poorer people will have to plan and budget for every journey but richer people will be able to drive where they like when they like with less of the poor in the way

does he really think we are all on the road at 8am because we like participating in traffic jams?

That's the key point, assuming this is about congestion rather than revenue, he's expecting that the deterrent of paying extra will stop people making the journey - and if the congestion itself isn't enough of a deterrent, where's the evidence that extra money will be?

I live two miles from the nearest village, 10 miles from the nearest train station and there's 1 bus a day. I work 28 miles from where I live, and to move closer means that house prices go up by ten thousand pounds plus.

I think cars should all be taxed to fuck.

So presumably you're in the middle of nowhere and don't suffer from congestion so wouldn't pay much/any road tax?



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[everyone saying about environment stuff]

If he considers environment important, why does it come third place to business interests?

It's blatantly tacked on the end so they can claim to be looking out for the environment when they actually don't give a shit and are just using it to get votes.

Likewise, if they actually cared about congestion they'd do what people have said and [try to] improve public transport - rather than simply raising PT prices under the claim of improving it, but actually not doing very much at all.

Have you met the Labour party?

Sorry, should have specified - that bit was supposed to be continuing the "assuming this is about congestion rather than revenue" thing.

Fairy Nuff then. Personally I suspect that riding down a minor road at 2am on an electric bicycle will cost 10p per mile, and prices will increase from that level up to driving a 4.2l Jaguar along the Victoria Embankment at 9am, which will cost the tax-payer £88 per mile when John Prescott does it every morning.

Not really, there's a motorway half a mile away that I use regularly, and if motorways are taxed on a blanket-basis i.e. all the same, then I could be hit quite hard.

Those of us who work for a living often need a car. I, personally, couldn't physically do my job without a drivers license and I wouldn't be able to do extra stuff (Like drop by schools on the way home) without my own transport.

 

And fuck being out the house by 7:00 and home at 5:15 - I couldn't keep that up. Maybe it's different if you haven't had/got a car - but I simply couldn't live the life I do without one. And most of the people I know who can't/won't drive spend half their time getting lifts from those who can.

Where's John!? Filthy bastard!

I know I'll be keeping an eye out for a suspicious looking brum in a VW van outside school now :|

with early hippy hair and an eye for the laydeees

Short hair currently, actually.