Are'nt the Toll Roads, in the Republic of Ireland, classed as "motorways" anyway? Part of the M7(Limerick/Dublin) is one such road. And as you say people will drive round, rather than pay to use it.
Yes in theory they are, The only one that I don't think is a motor way is the limerick tunnel. While the signs arre green and speeds are 100kph, there are other signs saying no bikes, Mopeds, Horses (with or without carts).
But if any part of the VED/VD is used to support the roads that everyone has access to, then it does become another argument as to why we as cyclists should be treated as second class as "we don't pay it". Maybe now would be the time for a mass application from cyclists, to pay VED/VD. This would then put us an equal footing as those who claim that we do not pay it, so we have fewer rights compared to them on the roads.
IF this mass application is carried out & is successful, we will then be able to say that we are now paying it. The downside to this is that due to the cost of implementing the scheme for cyclists, the cost for motorists would rise by about £60-£80 per year for a car in a middle bracket of VED/VD. And all because they wanted cyclists to pay the same as them.
Toll roads are un-linked from VED and general taxation, but paid for by Private industry. In theory the toll fee is supposed to pay for the upkeep and initial building work. This would NOT support the theory that if you don't pay VED then you cannot use them since you pay as you use the road. Mr Churchill abolished road tax as such to stop one type of road user from claiming ownership. Personally changing this is a massive stop backwards IMHO. That said I didn't read that in the original piece as linked by Melonfish. Close, but it's an increase in VED if you use larger or more primary roads.
To do that would be an administration nightmare. Far easier to put free flow Toll systems in (you don't pay at a booth, but over the phone/internet etc). Not that that is a perfect system.
A better way of increasing revenue, in my opinion, would to be make the 20-25% that should be paying it, but choose not to, to actually pay it. This would do two things. Lower the number of untaxed vehicles on our roads & lower the amount that the average driver has to pay. Hand in hand with that, would be the fact that with an increased number of legally taxed vehicles on the roads, the number of uninsured vehicles should fall. Thus leading to a drop in premiums.
If only. I still don't understand why people are allowed to keep the car if it's not taxed of declared off road. Not that the irish system is any better.
I favor paying everyone pay a flat fee tax disk. Then increase the VAT on fuel. The more you drive the more you pay. Why should I pay €253 for commercial VED when the little old lady that drives a 1.6 Focus and drives to the shops a few times a week pay the same. Those that do the milage pay for it. And this comes from someone who used to drive 80000 a year.
Ohh, the answer? The screams from drivers and trucking companies. Voters.
However that last part is unlikely to happen, as the government would not want to upset the vehicle driving public. They'd seek a softer target.
Exactly right in a nutshell. The government generate massive income from VED, VAT on vehicle sales, VAT on Fuel, Dutys and all sorts of other stealth taxes. The problem is that drivers are also all able to vote.
it's worth saying that most of us are drivers as well as cyclists. Therefore we pay VED. Yes, it's on that vehicle, but if we don't use it for commuting etc we save wear on the roads and environment and allow people that cannot or won't use other forrms of transport faster access to their work. We are doing good for the community for cycling!
next we'll have foreign trucks and cars paying a bill as they leave the country.
