Taxi Driver Online

UK cab trade debate and advice
It is currently Thu Apr 16, 2026 10:10 pm

Board index » General » General issues

All times are UTC [ DST ]



Post new topic Reply to topic  Page 1 of 2
  [ 16 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
  Print view Previous topic | Next topic 
Author Message
gusmac
PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:39 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:31 pm
Posts: 12045
Location: Aberdeen
http://www.iea.org.uk/in-the-media/pres ... earch-show

Denationalising Britain’s roads would raise more than £150bn, new research shows

28 October 2012

New research argues that the government should go denationalise the entire road network


The government has outlined plans to allow road pricing on new infrastructure. They should go further and denationalise the entire road network.

Privatising Britain’s road network would raise more than £150bn. This could be used to phase out motoring taxes. It would not only deliver a better road network for Britain’s drivers, but would also cost motorists less than the current system.

The growing number of successful privately built and operated roads around the world – often in developing countries – also strengthens the case for ending state control.

Britain’s road network is poor

· Across the world, state-owned roads are characterised by endemic congestion, high accident rates, poor maintenance and wasteful investment. The estimated cost of congestion in the UK alone is £20bn a year. Adjusting for traffic levels, Britain has a far smaller motorway network that most other major economies.

· The government is biased towards public transport over road investment, and cost-benefit analyses are often ignored. Road schemes have been cancelled with benefit-cost ratios three times higher than High Speed 2.

A privatised road network would be cheaper and faster for motorists

Allowing private owners to negotiate routes, set toll rates, control access and determine rules for users would:

1. Ensure more efficient use of existing capacity

2. Provide more efficient investment in new capacity

3. Allocate traffic flows more efficiently

4. Smooth traffic jams

5. Reduce the number of road accidents and fatalities

6. Allow innovations such as higher speed limits and heavier lorries

Road users would pay less under a privatised road network than they do at the moment and would have a better quality network. For example, tolls for cars could be as little as 6p per mile on a brand new motorway. For most cars, this would be less than the fuel duty currently paid. Charges for using existing parts of the network would generally be even cheaper than this.

A plan to privatise

· Denationalising the road network would involve phasing out taxes applied specifically to the road sector, such as fuel duty and Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax).

· The reform of transport taxation could be part funded by transfer of new road construction to the private sector, thereby reducing government spending on the road network. New infrastructure could be funded by tolls, property development, or some combination of the two.

· The privatisation of the network of strategic roads alone could yield about £150bn if motoring taxes were cut and pricing introduced. The revenues raised from the sale of roads should be used to reduce motoring taxes. Inefficient taxes would therefore be replaced by an efficient system of tolls.

· Further revenue from privatisation could arise from the sale of roads that are not currently classed as trunk roads but which have most of the characteristics of trunk roads and which could be gradually privatised – this could include ring roads. Additional revenue would also arise from the privatisation of roads owned by local authorities that were sold to businesses or local residents.

· Local residents, individually where appropriate, but more typically in voluntary associations, should be given the ‘right to own’ the residential roads adjoining their properties. A simple transfer process should be introduced, similar to the UK’s ‘right-to-buy’ programme for social housing.

· Policymakers need to learn from the process of rail privatisation. Trying to achieve political objectives through privatisation, rather than withdrawing properly results in massive distortions, as has occurred with the rail network. These are then blamed on the market, but are actually a result of government interference.

Commenting on the report, one of its authors, Dr Richard Wellings, Head of Transport at the Institute of Economic Affairs, said:

“For too long British drivers have had to pay over the odds for a road network that is simply not up to scratch. It is lamentable that this vital area of infrastructure has been neglected by government after government. Denationalising the network would ensure British motorists had better roads to drive on. It would also be much cheaper and mean an end to the enormous burden of motoring taxes like fuel duty.”

The mission of the Institute of Economic Affairs is to improve understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society by analysing and expounding the role of markets in solving economic and social problems. The IEA is a registered educational charity and independent of all political parties.

_________________
Image
http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/
Image
Top
 Profile  
 
gusmac
PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:52 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:31 pm
Posts: 12045
Location: Aberdeen
http://youtu.be/lRBnZNJvsOg

_________________
Image
http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/
Image
Top
 Profile  
 
bloodnock
PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 10:06 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 8:15 pm
Posts: 9170
Any Government that does that can Kiss their sweet cosy Parliamentary Arses goodbye because no one would ever vote them back in again...Political Suicide assisted by 35 Million British drivers..


Quote:
“For too long British drivers have had to pay over the odds for a road network that is simply not up to scratch.


I'd Rather over the Odds that which we are paying now for our "Not up to Scratch" roads than Be Paying £150 Billion extra for am almost "up to to Scratch" road system..

*They try that Stint and I might go along we with Gus's Indies argument...

*(Providing they take us out of the EU..forever)
Top
 Profile  
 
edders23
PostPosted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 12:20 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2006 11:47 pm
Posts: 20832
Location: Stamford Britains prettiest town till SKDC ruined it
Back to the "good old days" of toll roads eh :roll:

I would be very surprised if the figures stacked up and even more surprised if the level of maintenance was kept up even to current levels which often fall short

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector
Top
 Profile  
 
wannabeeahack
PostPosted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 1:02 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:06 pm
Posts: 24391
Location: Twixt Heaven and Hell, but nearest Hell
The M6 toll is in splendid condition and has its own fleet of gritters and snow ploughs....

The A5 has potholes bigger than Delabole quarry, 1 gritter and is no-go at peak times...

_________________
Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most
Top
 Profile  
 
edders23
PostPosted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 10:08 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2006 11:47 pm
Posts: 20832
Location: Stamford Britains prettiest town till SKDC ruined it
wannabeeahack wrote:
The M6 toll is in splendid condition and has its own fleet of gritters and snow ploughs....

The A5 has potholes bigger than Delabole quarry, 1 gritter and is no-go at peak times...


I bet if drivers had to pay it would be quiet !!

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector
Top
 Profile  
 
wannabeeahack
PostPosted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 11:27 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:06 pm
Posts: 24391
Location: Twixt Heaven and Hell, but nearest Hell
edders23 wrote:
wannabeeahack wrote:
The M6 toll is in splendid condition and has its own fleet of gritters and snow ploughs....

The A5 has potholes bigger than Delabole quarry, 1 gritter and is no-go at peak times...


I bet if drivers had to pay it would be quiet !!


They ALREADY pay for it!

road tax, fuel duty.......

_________________
Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most
Top
 Profile  
 
edders23
PostPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 7:59 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2006 11:47 pm
Posts: 20832
Location: Stamford Britains prettiest town till SKDC ruined it
yes but if they denationalised them road tax would be replaced with tolls and fuel tax would finance all the asylum seekers and benefits scroungers

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector
Top
 Profile  
 
wannabeeahack
PostPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 8:11 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:06 pm
Posts: 24391
Location: Twixt Heaven and Hell, but nearest Hell
edders23 wrote:
yes but if they denationalised them road tax would be replaced with tolls and fuel tax would finance all the asylum seekers and benefits scroungers


er, i think you mean ADDED TO

_________________
Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most
Top
 Profile  
 
Nidge2
PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 6:34 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2011 8:45 am
Posts: 9966
Location: Braintree, Essex.
edders23 wrote:
yes but if they denationalised them road tax would be replaced with tolls and fuel tax would finance all the asylum seekers and benefits scroungers



Correct.
Top
 Profile  
 
gusmac
PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 8:23 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:31 pm
Posts: 12045
Location: Aberdeen
edders23 wrote:
and fuel tax would finance all the asylum seekers and benefits scroungers
or finance a new generation of nuclear weapons..or let the richest in our society continue to avoid tax..or pay for MPs subletting their homes to each other..or their duck houses or...all of the above

_________________
Image
http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/
Image
Top
 Profile  
 
trotskys twin
PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 12:14 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed May 23, 2012 7:24 pm
Posts: 6755
Nidge2 wrote:
edders23 wrote:
yes but if they denationalised them road tax would be replaced with tolls and fuel tax would finance all the asylum seekers and benefits scroungers



Correct.


you mean the parasites in Buckingham Palace?? #-o #-o

_________________
All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE
Top
 Profile  
 
edders23
PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 12:51 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2006 11:47 pm
Posts: 20832
Location: Stamford Britains prettiest town till SKDC ruined it
yep them as well !

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector
Top
 Profile  
 
trotskys twin
PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 12:58 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed May 23, 2012 7:24 pm
Posts: 6755
[quote="edders23"]yep them as well ![/quote

PUT IN YER DIARY TT AND EDDERS AGREED ON SOMETHING =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>

_________________
All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE
Top
 Profile  
 
edders23
PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 6:34 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2006 11:47 pm
Posts: 20832
Location: Stamford Britains prettiest town till SKDC ruined it
don't get too used to it

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector
Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  Page 1 of 2
  [ 16 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

Board index » General » General issues

All times are UTC [ DST ]

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 76 guests

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group