Congestion charging

worldfamous · Congestion charging

We are all familiar with the story about the boy who cried wolf: too many false alarms and the real dangers get ignored. A certain publication that shall remain nameless – yes, that one – is full of false alarms.

They keep coming thick and fast – stories (which they themselves often contradict not so many issues later) about possible bans and restrictions, things that could happen, hare-brained proposals by pressure groups no one has heard of but given undue weight by the inaccurate and highly flattering description of their authors as ‘influential’.

Tired of it? I am sure you are, but stifle that yawn because a real wolf has appeared and it will bite our bits off if we don’t keep it at bay. The danger in our midst is the fact that within the next ‘four to five years’ 10 of our major cities and conurbations will be introducing congestion charges.

I use the word will rather than might or could or may because nothing short of a miracle or nuclear war will stop the introduction of these regional schemes. The plans are being drawn up and on implementation many commuters will be paying more in congestion and parking charges than it costs them in petrol.

More than 1.7 million people gave their support to an online petition Peter Roberts of Shropshire posted some months ago calling for the Prime Minster to abandon the idea That petition said: “The idea of tracking every vehicle at all times is sinister and wrong. Road pricing is already here with the high level of taxation on fuel. The more you travel, the more you pay. It will be an unfair tax on those who live apart from families, and (on) poorer people who will not be able to afford the high monthly costs. Please Mr Blair forget about road pricing and concentrate on improving our roads to reduce congestion.”

The petition has been ignored and the green light given to the regional schemes. The Government tell us something has to be done because road congestion is getting worse. There is no denying that but if the Government are willing to ignore a petition signed by 1.7 million people what chances have motorcyclists got of winning exemption? Answer: a surprisingly good one.

Motorcyclists are exempt from London’s congestion charges because the BMF, MAG, motorcycle industry and other lobbyists were successful in convincing Lord Mayor Ken Livingstone that motorcycles, mopeds and scooters were part if the solution not part of the problem.

Manchester is the first of the 10 regional areas to reveal outline details of the proposals and say PTWs will be charged. To do so is hypocritical and supports the argument that the congestion charges are as much about making money as solving any traffic crisis. That’s our ace card. If those behind these schemes are genuine in their declared desire to de-clog our roads, motorcycles MUST be exempt. To win our case we must be selfish and save ourselves by accepting and perhaps even actively supporting the idea of congestion charges for cars. Most of us are car drivers too but that case is as good as lost. The game we are playing is one of damage limitation. There has never been a better time to join the BMF or MAG, to take to the streets and shout wolf to every biker we can rouse from their apathy.

BigBore

It has also been rumoured that within the next 2-years vehicles over 10 years old will no longer be allowed in any major towns or cities because of the amount of so called pollution that they produce, eventually leading to a total ban on any vehicle ten years old, or over, from all roads. This apparently was the parting shot by our much loved leader (yeah right) Prime Minister Tony Blair by signing to some half baked agreement that we will abide by whatever the E.U. says, there's lovely, which is pretty much what we do already, isn't it.???
So allegedly they will introduce these new rules and of course expect everyone to adhere to them religiously, except maybe the French and Spanish who will just ignore them and stick two fingers up, In other word's (f**k you) which is also pretty much what they do now, don't they.???