Congestion Charges
 

Just caught the tail end of the news, but it seems that there's talks of a few cities that are thinking of introducing Red Kens' idea, NY and Boston were the main cities, and then perhaps some others like San Fran...where ever there is basic public transport.

So what do you think of that? How do you think that would work in your neck of the woods? Think the locals would like it?

Re: Congestion Charges
 

I expect it will quickly be turned around to be "against freedom and liberty" or some nonsense!

Re: Congestion Charges
 

The congestion charge changed traffic in London beyond recognition. It is now actually possible to take a bus into Central London and have some idea when it might arrive.

Will it work in the US? I guess there will be tons of opposition based on some vague notion of individual 'freedom', but what, in the long run, is the alternative? Driving around San Francisco can be a nightmare, and even if you're able to get to where you want to go, there's often no parking to be found.

And why any sane person would want to drive in NYC beats me... :eek:

Re: Congestion Charges
 

Agreed, especially seeing as that has already happened around here so they are taking down speed/traffic light cameras in certain cities.

Re: Congestion Charges
 

Here in Edinburgh, Scotland, the idea of a congestion charge in the city was kicked into touch by the public vote:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4287145.stm

Re: Congestion Charges
 

Aye...well that's the thing, it's not a ding on freedom is it, it's just another tax, and when there's public transport, you've got an alternative...so to some extent I think it's a good thing, with exceptions to perhaps businesses and disabled people etc....should be interesting all the same....

Re: Congestion Charges
 

Ideally congestion charges should be linked to the size of car.. people driving bentleys and mercs ferraris et al. should pay something equivalent to their car. It is a little discriminatory that rich people can now drive around in their huge S class mercs fora mere 5 pounds or so. Not that the charge is ever going to hurt their pockets but it could at least better refelct the envionmental damage being done by their choice of car and not least to say the amount of space they take up on the road.

Re: Congestion Charges
 

that's too bad coz it's really worked well in the city of london.

Re: Congestion Charges
 

Too true...

Another thing that should be done, especially up your way, a lot of hummer drivers get a tax rebate because it's considered a truck because of the weight, but city ordance means most motors over 2000 pounds aren't allowed to use inner surburban roads, if that was enforced, would be great :D

Re: Congestion Charges
 

I don't think congestion charging has worked at all. If you want to get somewhere in London predictably take the tube. Buses and taxis are not predictable at all.

Congestion Charging does exactly what its name suggests - It charges you for sitting in congested roads.

I frequently drive into London and it is a real pain, especially when you forget to pay - even after the next day - they sting you for a £50 charge.

Bottom line £8 = 2/3 coffees - not enough to deter people from using cars ...

This stealth tax does not achieve what it set out to do, the recent expansion of the zone in London was done during half-term and it was deemed to be a success because traffic was measured to be considerably down. Cheap trick by Red Ken ... Of course traffic volumes are lower at half term every bugger is on holiday ...

I hope that Congestion Charging is not introduced in the US, I know red Ken likes to jet around the world - regardless of his carbon footprint - telling the whole world how good he is ... But really he is not ... Ask the 10,000,000 rats that scavenge around London ... I am sure he is looking at ways of taxing those little buggers ... think of all the money .... woohoo .... And with an additional 4000 high net worth rats born every day ... Londons services will be financially secure forever ... Well done Ken ...

Hmmm ... reading this post I seem to have lost the plot ....

Over and out ...

Re: Congestion Charges
 

Why don't we ban cars altogether and all take up cycling?

Whilst we're at it, let's ban rich people. Any amount earned over minimum wage goes into state coffers and is distributed equally among the party comrades.

Re: Congestion Charges
 

Power to the people .......Join the Popular Tooting Front ...now !!!

Re: Congestion Charges
 

its nothing about banning cars or rich people its just about making the fee proportionate in some way.
Bottom line is the bigger the car the more space on the road it takes up the bigger parking space it needs, the more room it needs to manouever and thus the more it should pay. Since you can fit 2 smart cars into one parking space needed for an s class mercedes it really seems only fair.

The problem with the congestion charge if a high price is charger regardless of the vehicle is that (discounting goods vehicles) you end up with a bunch of rich businessmen and consulate staff swanning around in ridiculously large cars, usually on their own enjoying the reduced congestion whilst the hoi poloi are stuffed together on the tubes and busses.

As for Hummers yes that whole tax rebate business on big cars is just ridiculous here, in fact its beyond ridiculous is an outrage!

At least Ken had the balls to actually do SOMETHING. Everyone else if just parlysed wondering what the political implications are of their action/inaction. He may be a twit but at least he has the force of his convictions. Almost all the media was against him and the congestion charge and now its actually working at least to a degree they have all had to swallow their pride and either find some other pettiness to charge him with or admit that he may have had a point.

Re: Congestion Charges
 

Well I will prob set the cat amongst the pigeons here but I get totally peed off with all of the ideas of making the higher earners pay more on both their wages and their cars.

As a rule of thumb the penalties come in at such a rate that the REAllY high earners dont notice but the middle ones do.

Back in the Uk my hubby paid the higher rate tax but at the same time he travelled 6 hours a day to earn that wage, there is no allowance for the travel costs either so by the time you take out petrol, wear n tear on car, parking, he is actually not that much better off at all, in fact I know people on benefits who have the same disposable income as we did.

Now he never had a gas guzzler to commute so hes not guilty on that front and I must admit I think it is stupid so many people drive around in great big 7 seater here with only one kid, I had a 7 seater as I have 4 kids but had a corolla verso instead of a huge tank.

Taking a train into London is a nightmare, the price went up after the Hatfield crash ( to recoup compo they paid I bet ) and they also stopped giving a 5% discount to season ticket holders who renewed their tickets so its now quite expensive.

There have been times we have considered the fact we would be no worse off giving the job up and flipping burgers in macs then getting top up benefits, this is a sad reality that the profesionall middle earners who have trained and worked hard to get where they are seem to be the ones that get hit all the time.

Extra taxation on luxury cars and the huge 4X4 will only serve to make them more of a status symbol, IMHO.

Re: Congestion Charges
 

Quite right Ray!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/im...zensmith_3.jpg