I think the fuss will die down even before Christmas. It was reported the site to check compliance fell over yesterday, suggesting loads of people never checked until the last second OR panicked because the right wing had implied everyone was going to have to pay.
I've seen many posts from people who have subsequently discovered they're not affected. I do wonder why so many left it so late to check though.
Meanwhile the supposed protesters all appeared to be middle aged white people with signs that also mentioned vaccines, 15 minute cities and/or per mile charging. Seems like nothing but bandwagon jumping (how many live or drive into London, or even own a car?), and if proven right they'll all get bored and move on in weeks.
A lot of people put things off. I myself am concerned about the pressure ULEZ puts on the price of second hand but compliant cars.
Dangerous generalisation there. I am one of those who protested. I am pro vaccines - fair enough I cannot have some because of my allergy and luckily my immune system is very strong - currently !. Most of those I spoke to where quite well informed and expected to drive in Greater London.
Pay per mile is bound to happen. It has to exist - how else do you tax the actual use of electric cars, ICE cars get a tax on use in the form of quite high tax on Petrol and Diesel. There is a lot of central government revenue at stake there. The crime will be if ICE owners have to pay BOTH fuel tax and pay per mile.
The suggestion was why not go with a total ban instead of a charge, therefore if they did switch to a total ban and therefore a fine for not adhering to the ban I would expect legislation would need to reflect that plan instead of the current one.
What incompetance? That the government decided not to subsidise public transport and would rather cut taxes on fuel duty. The TfL finances issue is a combination of changes in travel patterns following the pandemic and a switch to home-working alongside the government removing any subsidy.
The reality is a lot of public transport has suffered from Covid. A nice time to remove government subsidy if you want to undermine public transport.
I can't believe people are serious when they say there should be no charge and these vehicles should be completely banned. Actually I think many of those people are being insincere if not down right duplicitous.
If that was the plan then the pushback would have been significantly worse. The stories of a little old granny that lives just across the London border that drives over once a year for Christmas write themselves. Why oh why, says the grandmother of 6, can't I pay a small charge - not much more than a tube fare, to see my family. It's a terrible injustice.
TFL finances could certainly be a thread of it's own and having worked for a company much smaller than TFL, there's various ways the books can be spun. Having said that central government have repeatedly told TFL to make their own money - of course Shapps suggested a higher and wider congestion charge which Khan wrongly (in my view) rejected. TFL wanted to build some flats on a tube car park (to you know, earn this money they were told to earn) but then Grant Shapps himself vetoed the plan
The tories are playing people for fools here. Trying to play both sides. It's a shame that many people can't see it. Telling cities they have to get air quality to within legal limits and then campaigning against them actually doing anything about it.
I would say road pricing has to come into existence. The tax on Petrol and Diesel catered for that in the past but electric cars cannot be taxed that way because the same fuel (electricity) is used for running peoples homes. What I suspect is that once road pricing comes in then people driving ICE cars will pay twice as I will be amazed if the tax on Petrol and Diesel is dropped.
Central government has spent years reducing the support local authorities get. Can argue it is fair the locals pay for what benefit from in their own area BUT it has lead to financial difficulties at a number of local authorities. Its been a big financial cut.
Did the Tories instruct Khan to expand the ULEZ to the extent that he has though? Seemingly not:
A letter published in 2020 is circulating on social media as evidence that the proposed ULEZ expansion was ordered by the government.
fullfact.org
There's more detail in the link for those interested.
Then there's the issue of the "doctored" research, following Imperial's conclusion that the scheme would make little to no difference to air quality....
It's not only the Tories playing people for fools here, is it?
I think where TfLs hand has been forced is by the legal requirement to improve air quality. I really think the legal process is taking over.
I think some of the research may turn out to be flawed/biased. But a simple point I would make is we have come a long way in terms of air quality.
Back in the 50s Smog and the clean air act.
Lead being removed from Petrol (circa 1970 S).
We are on a road of diminishing returns - should we really be bothered by what is left ?.
And if health is so important then why do there continue to be so many stabbings ?. Easy answer is that it is not easy to enforce knife laws so screw law abiding citizens who conveniently travel round London with their id on their car !. Meanwhile those wearing hoodies are free to carry (and use) knives, jump ticket gates and sell drugs etc etc.
My strongest bug bear is the increase in car usage driven by car culture. Nobody in authority seems to attempt to stem the tide of out of town shopping. But they are quite happy to let ordinary people (usually the poorer) pay for their obstinate lack of foresight.
tfl.gov.uk
