An interesting bit of news/speculation from the Telegraph.co.uk this morning in my inbox. Apparently, some 58% of surveyed motorists state that they would support pay-as-you-go motoring. That is, they would be in favor of paying per-mile wherever they drove in their vehicles.
With global populations on the rise, the number of motorists on the road stands to increase exponentially over the next 25 years. This issue is not the UK's alone. Even in larger nations such as the United States, where there are thousands of miles of open highway across vast expanses of land, urban congestion continues to be a nightmare for city planners and commuters alike. Simply put, there are too many vehicles on the road today. There will be even more tomorrow. The revenues generated by license taxes and registrations are not enough to provide for the efficient design and maintenance of new roadways designed to handle the increased traffic volumes. Carpooling and mass transit might help, but these alternatives aren't adopted sufficiently to curb the tide. It makes sense, then, to consider other ways of reducing traffic volume, and the pay-as-you-go model stands to make motorists more mindful of the miles they put on their vehicles. Before we reach for our pitchforks, such a model would have to come with a couple perks:- A reduction in fuel duties and taxes. If motorists are taxed by the mile to fund highway improvements, they shouldn't also be taxed at the pump or the licensing office. This only seems fair.- Consistent, reliable driving times and compensation for delays. If motorists are paying for a service, it stands to reason that said service be reliable and fair, with a means of reimbursing customers for delays when they occur. I find this all very interesting. We are already accustomed to paying per-minute for our cell phones, per-megabyte for our wireless data, and per gallon/liter for our fuel. In some areas, motorists who drive less are already saving a great deal on their insurance by paying by the mile. There are others saving on the costs of vehicle ownership altogether by sharing (renting) vehicles only when they need them. And then there's the matter of what such a plan might do to inspire more efficient mass transit. I don't know if I'm in favor of this or not. It would be a considerable change of lifestyle for those affected - particularly those with monthly car payments or who live within the areas which would fall under the pay-as-you-go model. At the same time, it stands to reduce the volume of traffic while generating a great deal of revenue to be used for road maintenance and new thinking on urban mobility. What do you think?Original article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/7871042/Road-pricing-inevitable-says-RAC.html?utm_source=tmg&utm_medium=TD_rac&utm_campaign=moto0507pm Gearbox Magazine | Sharing stories of automotive enthusiasts worldwide.
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