Safe Speed Forums

Yes your probably right, which is why I have serious doubts about the practicalities of road pricing. I do not however have an objection in principal - I remain open minded and it would depend on the details as to whether I welcomed it or not.

Surely, though, admin cost is a fundamental part. Let's say it ended up costing £500 per motorist per annum - that just a great big money bonfire - possibly the biggest ever. And the benefits have to oughtweight the costs if the scheme is to be sound.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Indeed. The best possible outcome was that congestion was removed entirely, business productivity increased, journies undertaken with a high degree of certainly and peoples quality of life increased dramtically. The worst possible outcome is that there is absolutely no difference in congestion, millions of pounds are wasted and people are wrongly targetted for money they do not owe. Given the governments history of large IT schemes I fully acknowledged that the latter is far more likely to be the outcome. However all I'm saying is that I don't object to the principle of road pricing. I do though, share many reservations about the practicalities of it.

I live in a small town in a largely rural area. Public transport links are all but non-existant. My daily commute to work is about (35 miles) 45 minutes or 135+ minutes by train and as it is largely a hourly service a hold up will often add another 60 minutes. I will not have an option but to use my car and pay.

So congestion will remain and I will be unfairly fleeced.

I could move nearer to work or to a better transport link, but this would not only disrupt children at school but also lose my wife's job - she walks to work and does not drive. Further moving would cost about £15000 and housing nearer to or more convenient for work would add £50-100K to the mortgage. Nor can I easily downsize. To make matters worse plans like these will inflate the price of houses with good transport links or close to large areas of work and conversely deflate the price of houses in areas like mine.

So doubly stuffed.

I could move jobs however there are very few jobs in the immediate area. There are lots of plans to deluge the area with new houses but little or no new transport infrastructure and nothing to improve the local job market. Consequently the area has increased competition for a few very poorly paid jobs. Realistically I could probably only get another reasonably well paid job around 20 miles away so I would still be doing more than half the current commute distance.

So right royally shafted.

It may just be the final thing that makes it economically sensible to stay at home and claim benefits rather than being penalised for trying to pay my way.

Lets be honest it won't be cheap - it's meant to tax you off the road, it's technically expensive and no doubt they hope to squeeze a little extra tax out of people.

So if this becomes policy my choice and many others are:

1) Be held to ransom
2) Play the system
3) Leave the country
4) Run for parliment as no doubt they will have granted themselves a huge tax free allowance to cover their costs