[sustran] zegras-cox et.al.

[JOHN WHITELEGG]

Hello Wendell,

I think if we are going to deploy the argument that user taxes amount to
more than the capital and operating costs of roads then we have to look
at all other costs that would be avoided if we did not have car/truck
traffic on the roads.  I know there is a lot of argument in this area
but partial accounting is wosre than no accounting.  The numbers for the
UK (fairly reliable estimates) are that all these costs amount to a
figure in the range œ45.9 billion- œ52.9 billion and all user taxes
amount to œ16.4 billion.  Road users pay 31%-36% of the cots of keeping
them moving in this way.  They receive a 65%-70% subsidy.

Source:  Maddison,D et al (1996) The True Costs of Road Transport,
Earthscan, London.  Fax:  +44 171 278 1142

very best wishes,

John Whitelegg