Could London Drivers Be Charged On A Cost Per Mile Basis?
This article on CarWow is entitled Transport for London Investing £150 million In Technology Capable Of Enforcing Pay-Per-Mile Road Charging.
These reasons are given for the new system.
- Transport for London developing new ANPR technology
- Set to be used for Ulez and congestion charging for now
- Could be expanded in the future to include pay-per-mile road charging
- Estimated project cost of £150 million
In addition, this paragraph gives another reason.
A new platform for existing road user charging schemes, such as Ulez and the Congestion Charge, is being developed by Transport for London to replace the outsourced system currently in place as the contract is due to expire in 2026.
I can understand, that if it is brought in house, that this might create more jobs in London, rather than somewhere far away.
Speeding
If you read the article on CarWow, nothing is said about speeding.
But surely, if a sophisticated computer system knew you were at A and B at certain times, it could calculate your speed.
Coupled with a 20 mph speed limit, it could be a big money earner.
It also gets Sadiq Khan off the hook with pay-per-mile charging. He just introduces fines for people, who break the law by speeding.
Conclusion
I don’t drive, so it doesn’t bother me.
But I would advise anyone, who does, to think long and hard about who they vote for.
The Anonymous Widower 
Khan has created a ring of surveillance cameras on the GLC boundary. The objective is not pay per mile, but a heavy toll to enter Greater London. This is clever in two ways – 1. it may reduce car commuting into the capital and possibly ease traffic (or allow more “dog in a manger” traffic schemes) and 2. None of those taxed by it will be his electors and so able to vote him out.
The adminstration of the scheme is likely to be out-sourced to third parties. Early interest is expected from the Keystone Parking Stassi and the Ferme générale a very long established French company responsible for the similar tariff ring around the French capital five meters high and 24 km long, following the then-boundaries of the city of Paris: – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_of_the_Ferme_g%C3%A9n%C3%A9rale
It will probably prove just as unpopular, although Khan will keep his head.
Comment by R. Mark Clayton | April 28, 2024 |
One of my beefs with Khan is he doesn’t think holistically.
For instance, London has a shortage of parking at outer Underground stations, so he is selling the parking sites at these stations for housing.
London needs needs more park-and-ride sites, but I don’t think any more are planned.
His ignore-it-and-hope-it-goes away policy is short-sighted to say the least, but then no other candidates have a viable one either.
It would be excellent in London, as it would cut the pollution from local heavy trucks, of which London has many to serve all the construction.
I have been contacted by an old mate in East Suffolk and like Bradford, they are getting excited about the prospect of hydrogen.
As a Bradford councillor told me, hydrogen will attract jobs to the city.
No hydrogen in a large city will push business and jobs away.
Comment by AnonW | April 28, 2024 |