Thread: Drivers may pay per kilometre!

That would be right, the person living in the country, who does higher kilometres gets it in the neck again. The pollies are always looking for a way to increase taxes. Betcha the GST goes up to 12.5 or 15%.

This sort of idea comes up every now and then. It won't get in yet but think of all the wonderful jamming devices it will inspire

i hope to god they do not do this. it is outragous. where is our freedom going??????? seriously people to travel further use more fuel thus paying more! its the same thing as them trying to charge people for water they catch in their own dams!!!!!!!!!!!! this country is seriously turning to poo.

Paying per Km of public road rather than per litre of fuel might work out cheaper for me if charging doesn't start until I get to the public road at my front gate.

If this is done properly, I think it could be a good thing.
By "properly" I mean, taking account of the weight and power of the vehicle, taking account of the range of different roads it travels on and taking account of the congestion on that road at the time.

So if you build all these factors into a road charge "formula", then you can not only start changing how we pay for roads and road maintenance, you also start to change people's driving habits.

So a busy road, used at a time when congestion is an issue will obviously attract a higher charge per kilometer than a minor road. In fact I would think that suburban roads and most secondary country roads would not attract any sort of charge.

The weight and power provisions would obviously mean that heavy trucks pay much more than say a two door runabout, and I would think there'd have to be provision for giving a "discount" to say electric cars.

By charging vehicles for their real impact on road wear and tear and on congestion, then people start thinking twice about running their vehicle into the centre of the city rather than taking public transport.
This is good for the environment, good for reducing congestion for people who HAVE to drive, and good for encouraging more active transport options (bikes, walking etc), and good for the public transport system (which we all subsidise as taxpayers).

It also drives more investment in say rail transport as an alternative to road transport, as trucks start paying the REAL cost of using public infrastructure...ie the playing field in levelled between the different modes of transport.

I see all this as a good thing, PROVIDED governments reduce fuel taxes and registration charges to reflect the fact that their revenue is now coming from the new road user charges.

Alan

I can see myself obtaining a jamming device

What a load of bollocks

We will see limited implementation of congestion charging before this type of road tax is widely adopted.

Originally Posted by Tombie

I can see myself obtaining a jamming device

What a load of bollocks

Which will be illegal like the radar detectors
The data collected by the system will be used for another purposes as well "to improve the life of the citizens" and will keep very confidential