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Privatised Roads?


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Good or bad idea? Seems we pay five times as much in road tax as the Gov actually spend on our roads, so why arn't we getting what we're actually paying for? :unsure:

Mike Penning being interviewed yesterday stated that the government wishes to be honest with the motoring public (that's a first) and said as they are 'strapped for cash' they need the revenue that should be used on our road system to help fill the financial void in that exists in their coffers, forgive me but I was under the impression that they had been doing that for years. To my mind any alteration to the present system regarding taxation on the motorist, especially moving towards privatisation of our roads will only incur extra costs taken from all motoring road users and drive up inflation, they are biting the hand that feeds them as escalating prices have already reduced car usage on our roads, resulting in less fuel usage, resulting in less tax available to the government, now they are searching for other devious ways of yet again squeezing the already disillusioned motorist. :roll:

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so where do the other four fifths go I wonder. cannot see any company wanting to take on a stretch of road for no gain as I have heard said that only new roads can be made into toll roads. Where is the incentive then to "sponsor" a stretch of road.What is in it for the company and more importantly how will maintenance be carried out. Will we see roads closed for six months whilst potholes are repaired or just one day a week to do the bit that is worst.

 

Seems an odd idea. you do the repairs to the road and pay us for it. :mellow:

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Well, "not enough money" can't be an excuse, as four fifths of road tax revenue goes into the overall spending pot; which begs the question - why can't we have a system of segregated tax and spend - so that ALL road tax would be spent on our transportation infrastructure? As for "privatisation"; well the motive presumably for investment would be profit; so we can deduct that as a percentage of spend for a start. Next would be cost reductions; so perhaps a cheaper labour force (an army of pikeys or Afghan immigrants should fit the bill); finally cheaper and/or less materials; a thinner coating of tarmac should cut enough corners. If all that fails, then I guess toll charges would be next. Yer couldn't make it up! :angry:

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I've no problem with the principle of pay-as-you-drive road pricing - at least that way all the foreign trucks on our roads are forced to pay towards their upkeep.

 

What I would object to is paying BOTH road pricing and fuel duty (which is only a simplified form of road pricing anyway).

 

So by all means bring in road pricing, with different tarrifs for different classes of road and different times of the day - but only if they completely abolish fuel duty at the same time!

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As they need all the cash they can get, can't see them dropping fuel tax. As for tolls; seems folk don't like paying them, the M6 toll round Birmingham (according to a TV news report) is under used, and only operating at a third capacity - which is no wonder as folk naturally resent paying twice for their roads. :D:wink:

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which is no wonder as folk naturally resent paying twice for their roads.

 

but I wonder how many people have private medical insurance? I do; but still have to pay national insurance

 

How many have Sky? I do; but still have to pay for a TV license and hardly ever watch BBC

 

How many buy bottled water and still have to pay water rates?

 

The biggest problem to the government with road charging is the cost to set it all up in order to collect the tolls. Just look at the infrastructure that was needed just to police the London Congestion Charge zones......

 

Fuel duty is a fairer way of charging, as that charges you more for the more miles you drive. The only downside is that the cost of fuel is now so high that many haulage companies have gone bust and more and more foreign trucks fill up in France with their huge double fuel tanks which have enough to get them to Scotland and back without a re-fuel and so they get away with paying our duty

 

We should have a foreign truck surcharge payable at Dover for every foreign registered truck that enters to make up for it..... trouble is, that would probably break some EU rule; even though we have to pay tollls in France etc....

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Paying for bottled water etc, is a matter of choice -

 

As will be driving on the toll roads.

 

If you have ever driven in France, you will know that when the motorway is a non-toll section, it is as full as any over here. When a toll section is coming up, the cars all strem off at the last exist.... only to stream back on again when the toll section finishes.

 

Of course, France has a great load more land than we do and a better non-motorway infrastructure.

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I work UK wide I have no choice but to use them, Their is not enough work locally to keep my company going. I would have to pass on any extra charge, that would make me less competitive. I thought this government was relying on the private sector to take on all those loosing their jobs in the public sector. The fuel bill in my company is crippling already.

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But as you said they can be avoided, if we set a charge for foreign lorries, they will charge us, we do not pay in Germany, Holland, Spain ect, It will hurt the UK economy, as we are a trading nation.

 

I would say handing 40 odd billion a year to brussels hurts more than a tit for tat toll war would Kije!

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Your tit for tat war with France would effect our drivers who go to Germany, Spain ect, your dislike of the French would have UK drivers paying in all European countries, It will cost the UK more.

 

I don't have a dislike of the French..... and how many drivers do you suppose go over to France, Spain and Germany these days? Since Poland and the likes joined the EU, the fleets of trucks I used to see when We drove to the South of France have now almost all been replaced by Eastern European trucks.

 

The only UK trucks you tend to see south of Paris these days are removal trucks shipping furniture for another Brit who has had enough over here!

 

When I drove to Monaco last year, I saw literally less than 10 UK trucks all the way through France (and yes, I do look out for them because when we first started to go over 15 years ago, I used to point the UK trucks out to my little son who used to wave at the drivers as they were on the right side of the cab to wave at!!)

 

I would counter that Europe and the EU has already driven a very big nail into UK trucks

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Well when I have been to France either on a ferry or though the tunnel, their has been lots of UK lorries going over to the continent :wink:

 

And the %age being? and the %age coming back?

 

The other thing being that the French Truckers are a law unto themselves!!!!

 

If they don't like it, it won't happen.

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