Telegraph articleInteresting article in the Telegraph about variable road charging etc.
Not sure that the title matches what he actually says, so maybe it is just click-bait
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Only Capitalism Can Save Us From Congestion
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Posted 10 years ago #
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Wow. :-o
Posted 10 years ago # -
If that's the same one I saw the other day it does go on a fair bit about insisting that not everyone who cycles has to be a woolly muesli-knitting sustainable renewable communist, but presumably the primary targets amongst its readership would read those bits without thinking it was being hyperbolically Telegraphic.
Posted 10 years ago # -
In the republic of IWRATistan access to roads is rationed, not charged for. Everyone gets to drive into central Edinburgh once a week to buy their washing machine, regardless of whether or not they have a car.
No reason why the common good should be auctioned to the rich, is there?
Problem is, the damaging drug alcohol is also rationed. Damn those presbyterian revolutionaries.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@IWRATS, What about the water and electricity? With 52 new washing machines per person per year consumption is going to soar.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Largely I agree with him. Almost everything else is rationed by how much you can afford why not the time you can spend in your car? Okay roads were paid for by historical tax takes but you'll still be benefiting from the roads, buses, cycles, delveries etc.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@acsimpson
Soaring consumption is generally regarded as a Good Thing isn't it?
Posted 10 years ago # -
@steveo
The classic counter example is the NHS. The service is the same (like it or lump it) regardless of your ability to pay. This is because your value as a citizen is held to be independent of your bank balance.
It would be a fine thing if access to the law was run on a similar basis.
Posted 10 years ago # -
But is your value as a citizen not the same whether you can drive?
And there is already a means tested access charge for driving, depending on your driving style, type of vehicle, distance and time spent driving, VED isn't cheap if your on the breadline and fuel duty is quite a lot. This just goes a little further and says if you really must use this busy road at this time you'll have to pay for it, the higher charges can subsidise the quiet times and probably pay for universal decent access to public transport whilst removing the other duties.
For "Us" it would largely be a good thing, most of us ride when its busy so the ones who do drive could end up paying less.
Posted 10 years ago #
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