Sussex Man wrote:
However unless subsidies are offered to the WAV owners, it's going to be difficult to decide who pays £30,000, and who pays £10,000 for a new vehicle.
Yes, whatever happens it should avoid any element of compulsion, which should have been jettisoned in medieval times.
As we discussed a couple of years ago a bit of regulatory tinkering could provide a mixed fleet with an adequate number of WAVs, eg different age rules, fuel duty rebate, different license fees (as in Dublin).
Even 20% WAVs would be better than in some locations at present, even those with 100% WAV HCs.
I disagree with Ged, however, I don't think a one tier WAV only trade is feasible - it would be more expensive, and this would be paid for either by customers in the shape of higher fares and lower availability, or the trade takes the hit.
Then there's people who can't get into a WAV, and people who don't like PBs at all.
So I think with a one tier WAV trade, a smaller tier of saloon cars would be required in one form or other, so it wouldn't be a one tier trade
But a mixed fleet would be better than what we've got now, and with no compulsion involved.
Dusty