Pay as you go driving
06 July 10
The RAC Foundation has suggested charging motorists for each mile they travel is “inevitable” if future gridlock is to be avoided.
The foundations director Professor Stephen Glaister spoke out about a report that has identified a number of issues. With population rising and the economic recovery, traffic is reported to grow 33 per cent by the year 2025 and there appears to be a lack of overall vision for the road network. According to Professor Glaister a pay-as-you-go system could be the answer to congestion problems.
To gain public support Professor Glaister has suggested a few benefits to support a system of charging motorists per mile. A cut in fuel duty and abolition of road tax as well as a long term strategy developed for maintaining and enhancing the road networks run by a governing body are just a few of the suggestions made.
In relation to the research Prof Glaister said:
“Our poll shows that most people are instinctively opposed to road charging when they think it is an extra tax. But when the details are explained and they realise the benefits then the opposition falls away dramatically.
“Motorists are resentful of the relentless rise in the cost of fuel and feel short-changed by the amount spent on the road network. But these proposals address such issues.”
As a leading fleet insurance broker Staveley Head found the report interesting and would be interested to know if motorists feel the benefits would outweigh the cost of having to pay per mile travelled.
At present the Government has said it has no plans to charge drivers per mile on existing roads however charging on new roads may be considered using the M6 toll road in the Midlands as an example.
A Department for Transport spokesman said:
“We have no plans to introduce a charging programme for existing roads, which are publicly owned and have already been paid for by the taxpayer.
“To tackle congestion in financially constrained times we will ensure we are making the most of our existing roads.”
Staveley Head is a leading provider of Fleet Insurance in the UK.
For more information regarding this article, or to compare Fleet Insurance quotes, contact Staveley Head on 0845 017 9991.
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