[sustran] The future of motoring

[Eric Britton]

Dear Friends,

 

If you think it is important to have lots less cars in cities, and not only in
your own pristine mental space, you must, in a pluralistic democratic society at
any rate, be aware of the full range of needs and attitudes of all the very
different kinds of people who make up our societies. Which means that anyone who
seems her/himself as an agent of change must also be a good listener. 

 

In this context I found this item from something called “WhatCar: Helping you
buy better” a good reminder of the sales job that needs to be done if we are
ever to make this much needed transition. As someone here pointed out a long
time ago, car owners and drivers are our customers. Not our enemies. Makes sense
if you consider that they are also in very many cases also us.

 

Eric Britton on the morning of the launch of the New Mobility Advisory/Briefs.
Light a candle for us.

 

 


Your say: The future of motoring


31 August 2006

• Whatcar.com readers have their say
• Send us your opinions
• Read selection of readers' views 

Recently we ran a story on why various groups believe the cost of motoring is
about to soar because of road charging, rising fuel costs and tax increases.
<http://www.whatcar.com/%20http:/www.whatcar.com/news-article.aspx?NA=222149>
Motoring costs due to soar

We asked for your opinions on the future of motoring, and below are a selection
of the views we have received so far. 

You can still send us your views by clicking this e-mail link Click on this
e-mail link  <mailto:whatcarpoll at haynet.com?subject=Futuremotoring> to tell us
what you think.
- - - - - - - - -
'I'm the Association of British Drivers' Policy Director and I don't own a car.
I don't want to either.

Owning a car in modern Britain is overtaxed, over-controlled and
over-legislated. If I try to drive somewhere, because of council-caused
congestion, I get there late and frazzled. If I fill a tank I get charged 85%
tax. If I try to park I get rogered for parking charges that go up every year
like a rocket. If I exceed a recently lowered speed limit by a few MPH I get
slapped.

I now cycle or ride a motorcycle. Public transport is a joke – we have a major
client in Leeds, and to travel cattle-class we have to pay £100 each for the
ticket. How, in a modern society, where mobility is key, does that work?! I get
on the motorcycle instead.'
Mark McArthur-Christie
Director of Policy
The Association of British Drivers



-         - - -- -
'Why does this seem like a surprise? The government wants to force us out of our
cars but knows that the British car driver pays millions towards their tea fund!


It's sickening that we get shafted whichever way we go. Greener cars still get
hit! Get gas guzzlers get hit even harder. Paying tolls? What a joke! Why should
I have to pay to use a piece of road when I already pay through the nose in road
tax, fuel and insurance?

It's a case of rip off Britain at its best.'
Mark Mortimer

'Motoring journalists should stop winding up the 4x4 lobby into a frenzy about
additional costs as a vehicle such as a Jaguar XJS or similar saloon does
exactly the same damage to the environment as an average 4x4, which is transport
but using fuel in a greedy fashion.

Greedy use of fuel is not down to just 4x4s. Take the Honda CRV 2.2 CDTI for
example, as it will perform very well in comparison to most small family cars,
so can you please relate vehicles into the following: 

Unreasonable at any cost band= £3600 per year (any exotic sports or daft 4x4)
Uneconomical band = £1800 per year (BMW X5, Discovery or any V6 engine powered
car) 
Reasonable = £250 per year (band D carbon emissions) 
Economical £150 (band C carbon emissions) 
Very economical £100 (You've probably got the idea)

Then the real issue of someone owning an uneconomically car can be discussed
effectively.'

-         - - - - -
Robert Hedges

'How can road charging possibly be the best way to tackle congestion? Are those
in government so far removed from the day-to-day life of most Britons that they
believe we're sat in our cars on weekday mornings and evenings simply for the
fun of it? 

I am often in London and use public transport for that kind of journey. This is
not always practical or possible though, especially when travelling long
distance or to areas that are not well supported by public transport. 

Additional tax hikes and charges do nothing other than line the pockets of the
Treasury because most people have no alternative other than their car. 

The car should have a place in this country as a method of transport, however
until public transport improves and changes (e.g. try using the tube at 8am with
a child and a baby in a buggy
) people won't be discouraged out of it and the
environmental line the government sells is fraudulent.'
Daniel Jeffery

'Presently I travel from Harrogate to Bradford by car. I do carshare with a
fellow colleague. There is no direct public transport between the towns so this
is not an option. I fear with the increased costs which would also hit my wife
badly as she has a similar issue with public transport and her work place, we
will both be forced to either find other work closer to home - which has already
proved very difficult in a small town like Harrogate or our son's future will
suffer badly as a consequence.

It seems the government is happy to keep taking more and more tax but is doing
nothing to offer reasonable alternative modes of transport. While it's a real
problem that we all have to deal with, the only solution I see being offered is
to increase tax to prevent people travelling but no alternative to the travel.
We have to work for a living and we have to get to our work places.'
David Booth

'I refuse to let any featherbedded politician decide what I can and can't do
with regard to my motoring requirements. 

If I want to buy a 4x4 or any other large car then I shall do my utmost to
afford it. 

It's OK for politicians to come up with these grand ideas as long as we continue
to pay their inflated salaries and expenses. 

Voters should question their MP as to where they stand on these issues and vote
accordingly. At the moment this country is like a communist state!'
Frederick Humphrey

'The Labour Government is supposed to be there for the working man. 

All they seem to be doing is making driving a rich man's sport. We need our cars
to survive, but not under Blair's hypocritical corrupt Government.

Prescott was offered a free Prius, but did he show the country what was needed
of them? No, he turned it down because he was too important to drive something
like that. 

Does the cabinet show us, the voting public, how to drive more economically? No,
it votes itself £50,000 Jaguars for each and every one of them.

Then it has the audacity to tell us that we need to drive smaller cars, or it
will force us to by pricing motoring out of our reach, but still forcing us to
pay for Prescott and his cronies to cruise around in absolute luxury, one car
for him and another for his lunch.

It makes me sick to my stomach.'
R Cleal

'The government needs to start giving motorists value for money. Motorists are
voters and we are getting a very raw deal. 
Roads are falling apart, the motorway network is failing and despite the massive
tax motoring rakes in, little is re-invested. 

The car is essential to the economy and considering how much it contributes
already to the government's income any suggested increase feels like a kick in
the stomach.'
Tony Foote

'I have been looking at new cars and I'm torn between a higher performance car
with undoubtedly bigger bills or a economical one that will hopefully not
bankrupt me.

I think if company car drivers actually paid the true cost of their vehicles
then perhaps such draconian measures may have been avoidable.'
Lisa Boyd

'As usual the government are considering reactive measures to deal with a
problem they caused. I think they need to look at why most households need two
cars. 

Most families need two cars because both parents have to work in order to keep
the household running. In recent years hikes in council tax, fuel and energy
prices, national insurance and interest rate rises add to the problem. Both my
wife and I require a car to do our job, but neither employer offers us a company
car. Its not possible to get to work using public transport. 

The proposals are outrageous and unsustainable and would destroy our economy.
They should be financially encouraging scientists to come up with a viable
alternative solution to oil. They have known for decades that there was only a
finite amount of oil available. What will we do when the world's oil runs out?
Answer: We won’t have a road crisis and everyone will have to buy a horse

problem solved - everyone buy a 4x4!'
John R.J. Prescott

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