Tin pot dictators...and you're next!

raveydavey · Tin pot dictators...and you're next!

http://business.timesonline.co.uk...tors/transport/article5168114.ece

"The Government is threatening to withhold £1.5 billion of public
funding for public transport in Scumchester unless the city agrees
to become a guinea pig for pay-as-you-drive road pricing.

"Geoff Hoon, the Transport Secretary, said funding for new tram
lines, extra buses and trains would be cancelled unless a majority
of Greater Scumchester's 1.8 million population voted "yes" in
next month's road pricing referendum."

So (and I know it's Scumchester, but they've already tried similar tactics in Leeds which resulted in a change of leadership at Civic Hall), but it's scary the way Ministers of the Crown seem to think it's perfectly alright to bandy about threats in this way in an attempt to force their pet revenue raising schemes on the electorate.
Did you know the "outer" charging zone of the Scumchester scheme will start as soon as you leave the M60?
Hardly the city centre, is it?

In Leeds the (already proposed) outer charging zone starts at the Outer Ring Road, with a second higher charge within the Inner Ring Road.

Fancy paying twice to get to work, or to go for a drink, or Elland Road? And don't think public transport will get cheaper. Profits have to be made and First aren't in the business of keeping fares down are they?

Believe me, if they force this through it will be nationwide at the double and we'll all be taxed to the hilt simply for going to work or the shops.

cardboardbox?Youwerelucky

*shocked at this goverment threatening, fining or banning its way through legislation Rolling Eyes

halfaperson

they’ve got to recoup the money (our money) they’ve just given the banks somehow. Its as if the whole economy is bolloxed and they will stop at no ends to relieve decent hard working people of their cash in ever more inventive ways

halfaperson

See the good burgers of Scumchester have voted overwhelmingley for the Gov to stick the public funding and blackmailing where the sun dont shine.

eddiesleftfoot

The poll was doomed from the start; all of us who live in the proposed areas seemed to be mobilised to vote no and that'd exactly what we did. Two fingers to our "leaders" definitely Very Happy

raveydavey

I'm glad the result was a resounding "No".

It truly beggars belief that the politicians seriously expected everyone to vote for paying £1,200 a year in charges to simply get to work, or the shops.

halfaperson

I really don’t see how we are ever going to get a decent national public transport system without mass nationalization and a realization and acceptance that it is going to cost and some aspects of it wont be, ahem, "profitable" compared with peak routes at peak times.

People aint going to give up their cars, certainly not pay more for driving them when there isn’t an alternative and why should they. Public Transport can be nationalized all it needs is good professional management, democracy and accountability. Not too much to ask for is it. Privatization isn't working. Tin hat on, *goes to swot up on why I think that*

raveydavey

The problem is that "private" companies have to make the shareholders a profit. And you only have to look at the accounts for First (Last), Arriva, etc to see how much of a profit they're making.

Private public transport simply isn't working.

And if congestion / road charging is brought in, these private companies will simply ramp the bus / train fares up to match and coin in the extra brass. If the politicians can't see that then they really are stupid.

Did you know that Leeds Council and Metro pay First £100,000 a year to run the ftr bendy buses on the 4 route in Leeds? And thats after First put the skids under the tram by telling the government they could do it cheaper with bendy buses...