On 7 Mar, 16:14, Adrian wrote:

But people already pay according to their usage of the roads - and the
efficiency of their vehicle. Have you seen how high the taxation is on
fuel?

They do not pay in anything like direct proportion to mileage. A
average-mileage driver cutting their annual mileage by, say, 5% will
not gain a 5% fall in their costs, (and one increasing their annual
mileage by 5% will not pay a 5% increase). Obviously there will be
some change, but it will be smaller than the change in mileage (the
exact relation between the change in mileage and in costs will vary as
many factors are involved).

Road pricing could bring about a much closer relationship between the
two, thus increasing the rewards for drivers who reduce their mileage
without having any impact upon average-mileage drivers (and
discouraging driving additional miles).

Jon

Jon ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they
were saying :

But people already pay according to their usage of the roads - and the
efficiency of their vehicle. Have you seen how high the taxation is on
fuel?

They do not pay in anything like direct proportion to mileage. A
average-mileage driver cutting their annual mileage by, say, 5% will
not gain a 5% fall in their costs, (and one increasing their annual
mileage by 5% will not pay a 5% increase). Obviously there will be
some change, but it will be smaller than the change in mileage (the
exact relation between the change in mileage and in costs will vary as
many factors are involved).

But the fixed costs will remain for the vast majority of people - the
saving to their "motoring budget" subset of their transport budget will
only be the marginal cost of the mileage they're not doing.

Unless you're suggesting that there's going to be rather immense short-term
redesign of the entire retail and leisure infrastructure of this
country...?

In message om, Jon
writes
Road pricing could bring about a much closer relationship between the
two, thus increasing the rewards for drivers who reduce their mileage
without having any impact upon average-mileage drivers (and
discouraging driving additional miles).
If you think road pricing will be tax neutral (which you're implying)
then I'm going to burst your little balloon. Do you really think
Gordon's going to put his hand into his own pocket for the
infrastructure and running costs? Wake up son, this is not fairy land.
--
Clive.