Is congestion charge a tax?

[nevermind, neoliberalism has had it 159]

To some it might be normal to pay more for accessing inner Cities to stay off change and pursue the status quo. This Government now raised the congestion charges in London and other councils look jealously at the sums being raised.

But hang on, we are showing children on TV with asthma and weare listening to parents harrowing accounts on how they lost their child to this pollution.

What we are not seeing are electric buses and trams, readily available, we are not seeing better cycling facilities or the banning of diesel HGV's supplying shops during the day, all day, mingling with pedestrians driving past schools,etc.

Why is it that local/national Government can't be making binding proposals to bus operators to exchange their buses by 2022 for electric ones? or else loose their contract for public transport provision!

This gross and despicable rise in congestion charge at the total absence of change to the danger they present at present, ignoring death that could be prevented, is wholly for the wrong reasons. This Government is using dead children to make money from pollution and those who create it.

 

For that reason it is justified to interfere in this system now. It started in Twyford Down and Newbury during the late 1980s, and its now coming to a head, because these children are standing up and fighting the ignorance and inability to act. So should you be held up by a group of school children, please switch off your engines and listen to what they have to say.

[Rock The Boat 1,324]

On 10/04/2019 at 13:11, nevermind, neoliberalism has had it said:

To some it might be normal to pay more for accessing inner Cities to stay off change and pursue the status quo. This Government now raised the congestion charges in London and other councils look jealously at the sums being raised.

But hang on, we are showing children on TV with asthma and weare listening to parents harrowing accounts on how they lost their child to this pollution.

What we are not seeing are electric buses and trams, readily available, we are not seeing better cycling facilities or the banning of diesel HGV's supplying shops during the day, all day, mingling with pedestrians driving past schools,etc.

Why is it that local/national Government can't be making binding proposals to bus operators to exchange their buses by 2022 for electric ones? or else loose their contract for public transport provision!

This gross and despicable rise in congestion charge at the total absence of change to the danger they present at present, ignoring death that could be prevented, is wholly for the wrong reasons. This Government is using dead children to make money from pollution and those who create it.

 

For that reason it is justified to interfere in this system now. It started in Twyford Down and Newbury during the late 1980s, and its now coming to a head, because these children are standing up and fighting the ignorance and inability to act. So should you be held up by a group of school children, please switch off your engines and listen to what they have to say.

In the early 1950s London smog was responsible for the deaths of thousands each year with only a fraction of the traffic on the roads compared with today. So we have actually made huge progress since those days in cleaning up the environment and even seeing old species returning to the waterways, for example. But there are always things that can be done and modern technology will help to provide solutions to some of the problems. The use of electric vehicles in urban centres is a good answer - so long as it isn't just removing pollution to a different point in the process.

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

Yes it is a tax. If everyone, irrespective of their vehicle, decided to drive into London, the pollution would still exist. Would they deny certain cars entry? Unlikely.

I don't believe it is the best way to control pollution. A complete ban apart from necessary use would be the answer.