[sustran] Re: [NewMobilityCafe] Difficulties that Pedestrians and Public Ro ad Transport face

[Wetzel Dave]

I note the following.
 
"While the following from the Telegraph, UK covers urban areas (UK is 70% 
urbanised), "
 
nb    It is not true that UK is 70% urbanised by area.
 
A quick search of the web indicates that less than 11% of land area is urban
(with 70% agriculture and 9% forestry). However, almost 90% of the UK's
population live in urban settlements of over 1500 population.
 
Dave 
Dave Wetzel; Vice-Chair; Transport for London.
Windsor House. 42-50 Victoria Street. London. SW1H 0TL. UK
Tel: 020 7941 4200
Windsor House is close to New Scotland Yard. Buses 11, 24, 148, 211 and N11
pass the door.
Nearest Tube: St. James's Park Underground station.
Nearest mainline stations: Waterloo and Victoria (Both a walk or short bus
ride).

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Kisan Mehta [mailto:kisansbc at vsnl.com]
Sent: 28 June 2004 03:01
To: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport; NewMobilityCafe
Cc: Harshad J. Kamdar; indianenvironment at yahoogroups.co.in;
bombaynet at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [NewMobilityCafe] Difficulties that Pedestrians and Public Road
Transport face


Dear Colleagues,
 
The UK authorities has started sensing problem created to pedestrians 
and public transport from ever increasing presence of 4X4 Drives, SUVs 
(Sport Utility Vehicles) and Station Wagons on roads.  
 
While the following from the Telegraph, UK covers urban areas (UK is 70% 
urbanised), the problem is more threatening in rural areas both in the 
developed and developing (poor) countries where widening roads are 
hardly 5-9 metre wide with residences opening out directly to the narrow 
road  (I(ndia is less than 30% urbanised with many villages having no 
motorable road access from outside).    Srill SUVs etc have invaded 
remote villages covering the entire width creating movement problems to 
humans and animals. 
 
Do we in the poor countries need to curb these status symbols of the rich, 
guzzlers of petrol and more polluting diesel, generators of pollution?    
They have certainly no role in the developing (poor) countries however 
the authorities encourage more of them to come on the roads.  Best wishes.
 
Kisan Mehta 
Tel: 00 91 22 2414 9688  
 
 
	
Home <http://www.independent.co.uk/>   >  News
<http://news.independent.co.uk/>  >  UK <http://news.independent.co.uk/uk>
>  Transport <http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/transport> 




 


Urban 4x4 drivers should pay more tax, says transport chief 


By Terri Judd


28 June 2004 



The Government's most senior adviser on transport hit out at the owners of
urban four-wheel-drive vehicles yesterday, branding them irresponsible and
dangerous.

Professor David Begg suggested that their drivers should pay higher car tax
and congestion charges. "If people want to cause damage to the environment,
create congestion and continue to threaten the safety of other road users by
driving these vehicles around then they should be made to pay for it," the
chairman of the Commission for Integrated Transport said.

Falling prices and cheap finance deals have led to a record number of 4x4s
being sold in Britain, with more than 77,000 bought in the first five months
of this year, compared with 67,000 in the same period in 2003.

Opposition to the bulky vehicles, which can weigh up to two tonnes, has
grown in tandem with the boom, as environmentalists and road safety
campaigners voice their opposition. Only last month the Mayor of London, Ken
Livingstone, branded parents using these "status symbols" for school trips
as complete idiots.

Late last year the first study of its type showed that four-wheel-drive cars
were three times more likely to kill a pedestrian than smaller vehicles.
Researchers found that their height led to fatal head injuries, whereas
saloon cars usually caused leg wounds. Motorists involved in side-impact
collisions with 4x4s are 27 times more likely to die than those struck by
other cars.

Mr Begg said: "Whilst driving off-road in the countryside might be suitable
for 4x4 vehicles, there is no doubt that the same cannot be said for driving
through our towns and cities. They're polluters, they're space-occupiers,
and they're more dangerous for pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists."

The vehicles emitted four times as much carbon dioxide as more
environmentally friendly cars, he said. "Owners should pay a higher rate of
car tax to reflect the damage they cause. In conditions like London's
congestion charging zones, 4x4 drivers should also pay more."

Mr Begg is not alone in that view. Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat
environment spokesman, has led a campaign against the spread of off-road
vehicles. His report, A Programme for Change, recommends higher excise duty
on such vehicles.

>From next year French purchasers of 4x4s face a higher purchase tax and
Parisian councillors have proposed banning them from the capital.

A spokesman for the Treasury said that it kept taxes under review, but an
increase seems unlikely. Only two years ago the Government rejected the idea
of "punitive" rates, choosing instead to offer "incentive" decreases for
smaller cars.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said 4x4 drivers should not
be vilified. The risks had been exaggerated, while drivers liked the high
driving position, visibility and perceived safety. 

 	 28 June 2004 06:49

  
 	 	
 	
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