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Road Pricing.

Once again the UK government is attempting to launch an assault on the average worker. Labour, the so called working man's government, wants to charge us even more for driving our cars. At present if you buy a new car you pay VAT on it, but not only that, there's road tax, duty on fuel with VAT on top of that and if you live in London, congestion charges! We're now being told, we're going to be charged extra for every mile we drive and even more if we want to drive on a motorway!

Has this been thought through? Nothing can be bought from a shop that at some point, whether in whole or in part has not been transported on a truck. Transport companies already pay millions in tax and duty. These costs are passed onto the consumer. If road pricing is added to that too, it could take the price of an average weekly shop, out of reach of the average family.

It's ok though; you can always buy an eco friendly duel fuel car and save yourself fuel taxes. Not that you'd be able to afford one after your trip to Asda leaves you with an overdrawn bank account and the bailiffs at your front door.

Public services, such as council services and emergency services. Will all have to find more funding to pay for these costs. Where's that going to come from? Even more taxes or maybe the ambulance will charge you by the mile to take you to hospital? Will you have to think twice before phoning the fire brigade as your house burns down? Can you afford to pay for the fire engine to travel ten miles to your house?

Even the eco-nutters can't realistically support this one! How are they going to get their vegetarian organic wheat bread salad, when the farmer can no longer afford to run his tractor? How are the (charity funded) RSPCA going to find the extra funding for their vehicles?

Don't be surprised if the police raid your house and drag you out of the front door in handcuffs either. You might find you where caught by an rpm camera. Your right foot resting on the accelerator, while you where stuck in traffic last Thursday, caused unnecessary pollution and now you're going to be locked up with the murders and rapist, because you're a danger to the public!

If road pricing goes ahead, we'll be plunged into an era that would frighten the life out of even Charles Dickens. Sending your kids out to work, so you can afford to pay for your daily loaf of bread. Selling your grandparents for genetic research. Frying up the dead sparrow your cat drags home.

All this, because the government can't get their act together and come up with a practical solution. As usual, they spot a problem and deal with it by taxation!

Do taxes lower pollution in some way? I fail to see the connection between an overly rich treasury and a reduction in carbon emissions.

Rex Mcleod.

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