Charges on roads and motoways

[jean88]

What do you think about the extra charges for using our motoways and roads? On top of all those taxes we are already paying...eg. road tax, fuel tax...etc..

[Loosehead]

Fret not, the system they describe won't work, they'll spend zillions to find that out of course but it won't work. Are they seriously saying that, even if everyone cooperates they can track every car on every road? Get real. There may be some sort of road pricing introduced but it'll be more along the lines of the French system.

To answer the original question, I think it's ok if alternatives are available, ie public transport needs beefing up. They are saying that they'll abolish road tax and petrol tax so that means my gas guzzler costs the same per mile as a metro, brilliant! Just one of the issues.

Don't get too excited, there are so many issues the oil will run out before they're all solved!

[saxo_boi]

i think it is a load of rubbish to e honest and i think that itsjust another way of getting more money out of us. they dont consider us young people who have to make huge payouts just to get on the road in the first place, such as incsurance etc. als im surenobody else wants to pay to get around either! stupid idea in my eyes

[twiglet4frog]

only one answer...instead of pumping millions if not billions into this stupid idea, spend the same amount of money into public transport that would rival any countries, and automaticaly half the country realise how much cheaper, reliable, and hassle free it is to go public transport than private!

It takes a huge investment to provide this countrywide to public backing, but considering they are looking at a huge investment to run this alternative scheme that has no public backing i think common sense should prevail here

[acw]

I agree with the points made, but the new pricing system is designed to eventually REPLACE the current taxes. 

Here's a thought - get the monopolys and mergers commission to have a word with Stagecoach.  They need sorting out.  Then we might get some decent buses.  Mind you - I live on the busiest bus route in Europe and it's GREAT.  But back at home - Grrrrrr!

[jean88]

Another thing is they use tracking devices so they r watching us like "big brother". They say its saving money, but it was like when they introduce the water meter.

[toonmilo]

I agree with most of the points on here, it'll never work. What they need to do is at least try first and see if they can make public transport an option which is appealing to all potential users. ie, make it cheaper, reliable, efficient etc. If they succeed and people then STILL dont use it, then thats the right time to consider putting taxes on. They need to weigh up all the options first. I see mileage taxes as a last resort.

Having said that, the government can do what they want, they know that people will still jump in their car to get somewhere and i cant see it reducing congestion.

A point i made a month ago on AB about people driving quicker, not stopping at r'abouts when nowt is coming, indicating, etc etc etc would increase flow of traffic. Some drivers need to be educated again. They could generate more revenue by making people who've had accidents (and its clearly their fault!!) re-take their driving test again!

[acw]

Toonmilo they DO!  If an accident is serious enough and someone was driving without due care and attention they can either be sent on a course, OR if they lose their licence, they must retake their test.  Perhaps you'd prefer them to lower the threshold. Might be a good idea! :-)

Jean88 - I guess you didn't want a debate about water meters, so I don't want to get us side-tracked, but may I just say that since I moved out of home there are just 2 people (and a tortoise) living in my parents house.  As it's a large house (well, 4 bedroom semi, so not HUGE) they pay less now with a meter than under the rates system.  I don't see why people shouldn't just pay for what they use.  Otherwise we're back to Poll Tax!

I do strongly agree that better public transport is needed.  However, with so much shopping going on out of town nowadays that is very difficult to co-ordinate.  Especially with so many separate retail parks.  Mind you - lowering fares on public transport would help, as well as more buses.  I agree with comments to that effect. 

[Jay70]

I think the only fair way to tax vehicles on the road is by including road tax with the cost of fuel.  This way the more miles you do the more tax you pay - if you own an a gas guzzler you pay more - plus tax dodgers wont be able to avoid paying it or else they wont be able to drive their cars.

[jake-the-peg]

If it were to work they'd be able to tell if you were speeding and give you a ticket straight in the post as well.

But I have to agree with Loosehead, It's not going to work. How much  network bandwidth would it take to track every car on the road?

And I'm longing to see them fix a transceiver to my 1964 positive earth MGB :c)

Even if it did work you'd still have the same number of cars you'd just spread the load over cheaper roads which would be a disaster.

I think somebody suggested that this might be a ruse to stir up a revolt and then say "Oh well we'll just have to put up petrol prices then" - I hate to say it but they might be right 

[borg123]

the post made by  jay70--abolish road tax and put fuel duty up--so the further you drive the more you pay and if you own a fuel guzzler you pay more--i think the goverment as allready thought of this as fuel duty seems to get higher each year--maybe in 10 years they wont have to implement the black box system as we will be paying road tax on top of huge fuel duty anyway.even if they do implement the black box system --do they bill you monthly ---they cant enforce the current road tax system --i know at least a dozen people without tax and insurance and they get away with it year after year so why will they pay any other bill.if does come in --i feel sorry for the people that rely on transport for their trade such as hauliers--how will they compete with eec hauliers with no black box coming into this country--am i led to believe that they will be stung with this system in as little 2 years from now.  

[acw]

Hopefully the government would make exceptions or pay subsidies to hauliers.  I presume buses would be black box free. 

I suggest also that much of the problem is in inner cities.  So more park & ride schemes and higher parking charges seem a good idea.  Obviously with exceptions for the disabled and others with a valid need to take the car in. 

[kazza12345]

i think its a good idea

[Gef]

Why spend millions of pounds on a new system? Cut road tax to a nominal amount (�20?) but keep it since you have to have a valid MOT and insurance to get a tax disc. Raise the rest of the money by increasing fuel tax so that those who use most pay most.

[kazza12345]

could you imagine the utter bliss of people having jobs that they could walk/cycle to?  no school run mums because they wouldn't be able to afford it? no unecessary journeys? families living closeby to one another, because they cant afford the 100 mile round trip?

bliss, bliss, bliss.  Bring it on.

[PhilD]

Seems like the government have come up with another idea that sounds great in theory, but nobody has really thought about how it will actually work. How much will it cost to set up? Who will send out the bills and chase up the non-payers (likely to be the same people who don't pay road tax or insurance now)? Who will sort out the disputes when you get charged for driving on a road when you didn't? If the idea is to get people to use their cars less they will need to improve public transport sufficiently to make it a better option. Unlikely as most are used to the convenience of their own car.