The poll tax was brilliant. Wish the government had never rolled over on it.

 

No problem. Probably my poor wording (am only on coffee number 2!).

I don't buy into this fuel costs down=more traffic, bigger/better roads=more traffic nonsense.

Surely the traffic driving population is fairly static. We wont suddenly see thousands more cars on the road if the cost of fuel drops or the road network increases.

Even if it is true, then it is easy to solve, make the driving test harder

 

Now that might actually get someone's attention for once.

I think Neil has hit the nail squarely on the head with his last comment - He doesn't drive any less because of fuel prices. I was about to post something along the same lines. The idea that tax on fuel serves some kind of ecomentalist purpose is completely debunked as it doesn't actually reduce circulation.

Of course the ecoprats counter argument would be that prices need to be in the region of

 

Another 5ppl going on in the budget next year.......

Sure another 5ppl averaging a tank a week, is

 

I've taken to commuting by train - it's become cheaper

 

Maybe not consciously, but you never know. Are there people who would share lifts to work because the saving now makes up for the hassle? Are there people who would take the train if the train was in fact cheaper and not more expensive? Given the choice of jobs would your decision be swayed by one being further away than the other and so the cost of commuting outweigh any other benefits?

It has to have an effect, even if most of us say we're not going to change our habits and just accept whatever the cost is.

 

What percentage of the driving population drive for fun? I'd say it was pretty low - 5%.

So you have to assume that the rest only drive when they have to. And as there's no public transport to speak of (near me anyway - but then we won't be getting the olympics so no investment here ), then these people will always be on the roads.

So how does raising fuel prices have any ecological impact?

One thing that would make an impact is that the car makers should be making lighter more economical cars rather than heavy oversized lumps - have you seen the size of the new Clio?????

And then of course there's the impact on inflation: Everything is transported by roads. So when the fuel prices go up the prices go up the retail price index shows inflation, and what do the bank of england do - put up interest rates. So we're hit again in mortgage payments.

 

I guess the people who it may affect first would be those in low paid employment. I'd be interested to see some figures to be honest, but I doubt there any that are freely available.

As you say, there may well be one or two people who have changed their travel habits as a consequence, but the amount would be insignificant in my opinion.

If the government were serious about their eco agenda then they would ring fence money raised from road and fuel tax for the use of improved public transport systems and development of eco friendly technologies.

Thought as much.

 

And not only that, rising fuel prices hit hardest the people least able to afford it.

I just don't understand the government's reluctance to tax those who can afford it most, yet they seem to keep taxing the middle incomes more and more with stealth taxes by not raising thresholds in line with inflation and the lower incomes with fuel taxes.

 

Are you taking progressively or absolutely?