I suppose most visitors to the UK _don't_ wan't to drive in London, but
this increase will probably (IMO) make central London even more pleasant
for people taking public transport.

The rise is, of course, significantly above the rate of inflation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4399059.stm

--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

Following up to chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn

    >The rise is, of course, significantly above the rate of inflation.

You're not kidding. Luckily I only take my wife to the osteopath
once a week so £3 wont really matter. The parking costs more!
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-Photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

The Reids <[email protected]> wrote:

    > Following up to chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn
    >
    > >The rise is, of course, significantly above the rate of inflation.
    >
    > You're not kidding. Luckily I only take my wife to the osteopath
    > once a week so £3 wont really matter. The parking costs more!

It will be interesting to see what happens with this. Edinburgh has just
chickened out, because they asked for public opinion on the matter. Of
course most motorists don't want to pay more. Not that I don't think
that public opinion matters, but on issues like this it takes
leadership. In other words, the public doesn't always know what is good
for it. Besides, in this case, I do think Ken has delivered on the
buses, which are much better than they used to be. There's no point
banging on about public transport unless you make it a more attractive
option!

There is a proposal to have a similar scheme in Boston on the other side
of the atlantic, and they are looking to London as a model.

--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

"chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn"
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1guc8kp.16cxn9h1jancqoN%this_address_is_for_s [email protected]...
    > I suppose most visitors to the UK _don't_ wan't to drive in London, but
    > this increase will probably (IMO) make central London even more pleasant
    > for people taking public transport.
    > The rise is, of course, significantly above the rate of inflation.
    > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4399059.stm

So Red Ken increases stealth taxes just before the general election
announcement. To bring down the labour government and get Phoney bLiar out -
so Labour can move back to the left and Red Ken can stand for leader ????

Or am I cynical ?

Following up to chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn

    > I do think Ken has delivered on the
    >buses, which are much better than they used to be. There's no point
    >banging on about public transport unless you make it a more attractive
    >option!

although I disagree with the bendy buses. having built the city
to take high buses, why block the roads with long ones? Hated by
cyclists too.
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-Photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Miss L. Toe <[email protected]> wrote:

    > "chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn"
    > <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:1guc8kp.16cxn9h1jancqoN%this_address_is_for_s [email protected]...
    > > I suppose most visitors to the UK _don't_ wan't to drive in London, but
    > > this increase will probably (IMO) make central London even more pleasant
    > > for people taking public transport.
    > >
    > > The rise is, of course, significantly above the rate of inflation.
    > >
    > > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4399059.stm
    > >
    >
    > So Red Ken increases stealth taxes just before the general election
    > announcement. To bring down the labour government and get Phoney bLiar out -
    > so Labour can move back to the left and Red Ken can stand for leader ????
    >
    > Or am I cynical ?

No, but I don't think it's accurate. It's hardly a stealth tax anyway.
It's a clear upfront charge, and it's made clear where the money is
going. It will take a lot more than that to bring the current government
down anyway. Even lying over weapons that didn't exist and being partly
responsible for a 100,000 deaths in Iraq isn't going to do that, alas.

--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

Following up to Miss L. Toe

    >> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4399059.stm
    >So Red Ken increases stealth taxes just before the general election
    >announcement. To bring down the labour government and get Phoney bLiar out -
    >so Labour can move back to the left and Red Ken can stand for leader ????
    >Or am I cynical ?

I think so. People know this is a Ken charge not a Blair tax. If
"something of the night" got in he might even abolish Ken again!
If Labour lose, Brown will probably take over, which isn't Kens
professed politics, although to the left of Blair.
Anyway, Howards mask seems to have slipped, so they are probably
down the pan (where he belongs IMHO).
I would probably vote for Norris in a *GLA* election, but its
Iraq that hurting Blair, maybe school dinners wont help either,
(although it was the tories who screwed them up in the first
place, as some of the other things they are campaigning on) not
London congestion charges
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-Photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn wrote:
    > I suppose most visitors to the UK _don't_ wan't to drive in London,
but
    > this increase will probably (IMO) make central London even more
pleasant
    > for people taking public transport.
    >

Do motorbikes and mopeds pay a reduced rate or none at all?


J.

Jordi <[email protected]> wrote:

    > chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn wrote:
    > > I suppose most visitors to the UK _don't_ wan't to drive in London,
    > but
    > > this increase will probably (IMO) make central London even more
    > pleasant
    > > for people taking public transport.
    > >
    >
    > Do motorbikes and mopeds pay a reduced rate or none at all?

Not sure.

--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

"chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn"
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1guces5.1ll32kc1yndds0N%this_address_is_for_s [email protected]...
    > Jordi <[email protected]> wrote:
    > > chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn wrote:
    > > > I suppose most visitors to the UK _don't_ wan't to drive in London,
    > > but
    > > > this increase will probably (IMO) make central London even more
    > > pleasant
    > > > for people taking public transport.
    > > >
    > >
    > > Do motorbikes and mopeds pay a reduced rate or none at all?
    > Not sure.

Does this rate as the most useful use of bandwidth in 2005 ?

Miss L. Toe <[email protected]> wrote:

    > "chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn"
    > <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:1guces5.1ll32kc1yndds0N%this_address_is_for_s [email protected]...
    > > Jordi <[email protected]> wrote:
    > >
    > > > chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn wrote:
    > > > > I suppose most visitors to the UK _don't_ wan't to drive in London,
    > > > but
    > > > > this increase will probably (IMO) make central London even more
    > > > pleasant
    > > > > for people taking public transport.
    > > > >
    > > >
    > > > Do motorbikes and mopeds pay a reduced rate or none at all?
    > >
    > > Not sure.
    >
    > Does this rate as the most useful use of bandwidth in 2005 ?

Let me think about it! It's a toss up between mine and your followup. :)

--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn wrote:

    > >
    > > Does this rate as the most useful use of bandwidth in 2005 ?
    > Let me think about it! It's a toss up between mine and your followup.
    :)
    >

The one you're reading right now is even better :D

J.

"Jordi" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] ups.com...
    > chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn wrote:
    > > >
    > > > Does this rate as the most useful use of bandwidth in 2005 ?
    > >
    > > Let me think about it! It's a toss up between mine and your followup.
    > :)
    > >
    > The one you're reading right now is even better :D

Nah - mine was best because it wasn't clear if the 'this' was referring to
my own post or the previous one, thus generating a little mind boggling :-)

chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn wrote:

    > The Reids <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    >
    >>Following up to chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn
    >>>The rise is, of course, significantly above the rate of inflation.
    >>You're not kidding. Luckily I only take my wife to the osteopath
    >>once a week so £3 wont really matter. The parking costs more!
    >
    >
    > It will be interesting to see what happens with this. Edinburgh has just
    > chickened out, because they asked for public opinion on the matter. Of
    > course most motorists don't want to pay more. Not that I don't think
    > that public opinion matters, but on issues like this it takes
    > leadership. In other words, the public doesn't always know what is good
    > for it. Besides, in this case, I do think Ken has delivered on the
    > buses, which are much better than they used to be. There's no point
    > banging on about public transport unless you make it a more attractive
    > option!
    >
    > There is a proposal to have a similar scheme in Boston on the other side
    > of the atlantic, and they are looking to London as a model.

Singapore has had something like this since at least 1990.

--
Evelyn C. Leeper
http://www.geocities.com/evelynleeper
If the church put in half the time on covetousness that it does on lust,
this would be a better world. -Garrison Keillor, "Lake Wobegon Days"

It occurred to me that I don't know how the congestion charge
applies to rental cars. At previous times, I have picked up and
returned cars in London rather than at one of the airports and I
wonder if the congestion tax is payable and how is it collected?
Possibly, all the agencies have moved out of town but I doubt
that (g).


--
James V. Silverton
Potomac, Maryland, USA