"Colin Shepherd" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I (and 1.8 million other people) signed the petition against road pricing.
>All I got was a e-mail from Gordon telling me how silly I was to object.
I think that's the first time I've heard of Gordon saying something I
agree with!
Congestion is caused by an excess of demand over supply. With roads,
increasing the supply increases the demand ("more roads" generates
"more traffic") , so building more isn't the solution (even if we
could afford it). The answer has to be to reduce the demand, and
surely the way to do that is tolls. That will transfer the demand
elsewhere (e.g. to transit), or reduce it in total (helping save the
planet), but will retain everyone's freedom to use the road when he
wishes.
The same applies to busy locks, and use of waterways during times of
drought, of course. Much better to charge, then to introduce an
arbitrary number of lockings per day and queues which make it
impossible for those with a greater need to get through first.
>Mind you when he has to pay for his own motoring in June he might change his
>mind.
You've actually supported my point. If you have to pay each time you
use a road, then you will alter your car use compared to today's.
That's exactly the result we want, isn't it?
Adrian
Adrian Stott
07956-299966
