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MAY 2009 NEWS

Sundry stories - Pennsylvania - "I-80 toll bid makes U-turn"   Florida - "Cash-strapped toll agency adds monthly fee"   New York - "Local spans drawing less traffic"   Massachusetts - "Options debated as toll hike deadline looms".

New Gulf?

BBC - "The Arctic's oil reserves mapped".

European part of GM "rescued"

CNN - "2nd UPDATE: Germany Selects Magna As Partner For Opel "   BBC - "UK jobs hope as GM deal agreed".


Friday 29 May 2009

USA Roundup

Pennsylvania - "Legislators denounce I-80 toll plan"   Massachusetts - "Pike needs money, but how?"   Washington State - "Puget Sound Regional Council proposes tolls for transportation improvements".

More on Reprieve

Inside Costa Rica - "Legislators Demand Caldera Highway Be Finished Before Charging Tolls".

How parties stand on Cambridge Con

The Hunts Post asked parties taking part in the European elections various questions including what their policy was on congestion charging in Cambridge. UKIP said that they opposed it. Labour said "No. We regard it as a tax on poor people.". Lib Dems gave a long answer which boiled down to that they support the scheme. The Tories tried to avoid the question, but it seems that they also support the scheme (or at least those in power do).

An expensive trifle

BBC - "Scrap scheme boost to car sales". There are 28.5 million cars, so sales of 35,000 is a drop in the ocean (0.1%), and some of those sales would have happened anyway. Worst of all is that the scheme will have most effect on the sales of new cars at the bottom end of the range - and these cars are mainly made abroad.

Sydney congestion tolls seem to have little effect

ABC - "Harbour tolls make small dent in peak traffic".


Thursday 28 May 2009

DfT Stats

Lorry traffic to Europe is down 19% compared with a year ago - DfT - "Road goods vehicles travelling to mainland Europe - Q1 2009".

Another Euro Toll threat

Guardian - "Europe eyes transport for next big emissions cut".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Illinois - "Time running out fast for tollway scofflaws"   Georgia - "McDonald’s offers free Ga. 400 tolls"   Fleet Owner - "Trucking would benefit from tolls bill"   West Virginia - "Ups and Downs of Highway Politics".
The Trucker - "ATA announces support of bill to prevent adding tolls to existing roads".

More tolls despite "leakage"

Modern Ghana - "Road tolls to be increased".

Tolls in the third world

In a speech by the "Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan" to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Oslo it was said that "Illegal road tolls set up by the police are being dismantled.". Is this to make way for "legal" tolls?


Wednesday 27 May 2009

Tories will not say what their roads toll policy is before Cambridgeshire elections

Cambs24 - "Voters Left In The Dark Over Tory Intentions On Congestion Charges Says PACCA".
PS The Commission who are expected to recommend tolls have announced the last of their public hearings - Cambridgeshire Transport Commission- "June Public Hearings Announced".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - West Virgina - "Turnpike decision looms"   New Hampshire - "Not enough votes to override gas tax veto"   Massachusetts - "Pols weigh toll hike on top of sales tax bump".
Massachusetts - "Toll equity: Root of the problem lost in the exhaust"   Land Line Mag - "Senate bill would keep federal highways toll free"   Florida - "Millions More In Tolls Despite Fewer Drivers" video   Pennsylvania - "State may resubmit plan for tolls on I-80".

Police Chief escapes Tolls charge

IOL - "Cop cleared of fraud now eyes job at hand".

Humber Toll report in in-tray

Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Transport Secretary public inquiry on bridge tolls". Big Blue selling road user charging schemes on credit

Guardian - "IBM earmarks $3 billion for Europe, Asia stimulus".


Tuesday 26 May 2009

Road charging boom prediction

Business Wire - "Key Growth Trends in the European Markets for Road User Charging, Congestion Charging, Public Transport & Ticketing and Parking". One interesting bit from this press release is that "Great Britain has the highest number of bridge and tunnel tolls with approximately 22". Actually four of those 22 are on roads, but it just goes to show that Britain leads the way in Medieval practices.

USA Roundup

Massachusetts - "'Pike Officials Make Changes To Avoid Backups" video.

New toll bridge ready to open

Surrey Leader - "Golden Ears Bridge opens June 15"   CBC - "Golden Ears Bridge to open early" lots of comments.


Monday 25 May 2009

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Connecticut - "Time, money may halt toll bill"   "Illinois tollway hopes new signs pay off".

Reductions

Straits Times - "Lower road tolls in June ".

New News page

The main battle at the moment is against the scheme to build a new toll bridge near Liverpool, and to protect the toll interests to also toll the free bridge using Road User Charging powers. We have now set up a separate news page - new RUNCORN / "Mersey Gateway" News page.
Sunday 24 May 2009

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Louisiana - "Rescue vehicles will pay on bridge"   Pennsylvania - "Ask not: the roads will be tolled for thee".


Saturday 23 May 2009

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - "Oregon legislators support new taxes for roads".


Friday 22 May 2009

More on Reprieve

Inside Costa Rica - "Ombudsman Investigating Santa Ana Tolls".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Maine - "Firm to present York toll study on June 16"   New Hampshire - "Raise the gas tax now or pay much more later"   Georgia - "DOT panel revives talk of new toll lanes for Ga. 400"   "Texans are given the TTC Shaft".

Manchester Council boss still pushing tolls

Lancashire Evening Post - "Chief predicts road charging".

Proposed change to ERP

Today Online - "Distance-based ERP charges on the way?".Perhaps the Singapore trolls think that this is logical, but isn't a fuel tax the best distance based road charge?

More driving

It seems that based on fuel sales the Japanese are driving about 20% more due to the recent reductions in tolls. Part of this will be a one off effect due to the releasing of pent up demand for drivers making long distance trips for holidays or to visit family and friends. But what the Japanese should now do is completely remove tolls and increase fuel taxes, thus encouraging the move to greater fuel economy.


Thursday 21 May 2009

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Connecticut - "Tolls board makes no recommendation"   Texas - "Hutchison introduces bill to ban new tolls on federal highways".
New Jersey / Pennsylvania - "Ballard, Rendell Conflicts Intensify At DRPA"   Florida - "Stuck on a Road to Nowhere Until Improvements Come"   New Hampshire - "Council hikes I-95 toll"   Texas - "It's all about fairness to taxpayers, drivers"   West Virginia - "Parkways Authority Continues Public Hearings".
West Virginia - "Residents blast toll hikes"   Land Line Mag - "Oh, snap! Bidders leave Alligator Alley lease on the table"   Connecticut - "State panel to act on border toll study this morning"   Washington State - "Gregoire Signs Second Narrows Bridge Bill".

Quislings

The RAC are helping to encourage drivers to hand their money over to the M6 Toll Company. Also helping with this sales promotion is Vicki Butler-Henderson, presenter of Fifth Gear - Westmorland Gazette - "RAC takes the 'toll' out of bank holiday motoring".

More DfT Stats - Report on parking

"Public experiences of and attitudes towards parking".
One interesting result is that the cost and availability of parking has nearly as much affect on travel as does the price of petrol.

Where is all the money going

Broad Money supply is high to meet the Government's aim of inflating MP's assets as much as possible. But stangely, despite the helipcopter money, the growth in Broad Money is declining, with the annual growth rate in April being "only" 17.4%. Could this be a sign that the lions are already overfed and the banks are suffering from indigestion?   Bank of England - "Provisional estimates of broad money (M4) and credit (M4 lending) April 2009".


Wednesday 20 May 2009

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Texas - "Dallas City Council panel picks preferred route for Trinity toll road"   West Virginia - "Turnpike toll hearings begin"   "North Texas Tollway Authority to lay off 25 toll collectors"   Washington State - "Transportation Commission to discuss tolling studies and Ferry fares"   New Hampshire - "Gas tax fair way to fix roads" letter.

Empty

Herald - "Call for summertime toll cut in Port Tunnel".

"Time to Abandon Road Pricing Concept, says ABD"

ABD Press release.

Minutes of last Monetary Policy Committee Meeting

Bank of England (pdf file).

MP's expenses

Quote from one MP saying what his food claims were for - "I treated it as covering things like the congestion charge, which can’t be claimed for directly." - Daily Post - "North Wales MP's expense claims".


Tuesday 19 May 2009

Tolls Inquiry starts today

BBC - "Mersey crossing inquiry to begin"   Our RUNCORN / "Mersey Gateway" page.
Monday 18 May 2009

Mayor proposes more tolls

As well as bringing in mini Low Emission Zones, his long term plan is that as the London population inceases by another one million people he may "manage travel demand" through "pricing incentives" including "road pricing and other potential charging regimes". He is still committed to removing the western extension of the Con zone - Guardian - "Boris Johnson may revive low emission zone plans"   Mayor's press release   "Mayor’s Transport Strategy" pdf. Comments are invited by the Mayor.

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - West Virginia - "Turnpike Users Can Take Turns Asking Questions"   West Virginia - "Turnpike hearings to focus on hikes"   Illinois - "SOS: How do I resolve problems with Illinois Tollway fines?".

Tories ready for turning?

Edinburgh Evening News - "Tories ready to bring back tolls for new Forth bridge". The Scottish Trolls have succeeded in suckering the Scottish Government into believing that they need to build a bridge costing several billion pounds. They could have a solid gold bridge for that price, and there is no way that any likely level of tolls could do more than make a token contribution. The Government should instead find a new set of advisers.   Our section on a new crossing".

Aladdin's lamp scheme starts

BBC - "UK car scrappage scheme launches ".


Sunday 17 May 2009

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Oregon / Washington State - "$4 billion: Too much for this?"   New Hampshire - "Pro: Raise gas tax now or pay much more later".

A peek at the Shape of Things to Come

The Transport Committee of MPs meets on Wednesday for an evidence session on "Major Road Networks". There are six witnesses, from - the Institute of Civil Engineers, University College London, Highways Agency, Local Government Association, County Surveyors' Society and "Mersey Gateway". The latter is behind a scheme which involves a private operator building a new toll bridge at Runcorn near Liverpool. To make sure that it gets customers, the operator will also put a toll on the existing free bridge. Is this a sign that MPs are going to encourage roads privatisation and tolls?
A Public Inquiry on the "Mersey Gateway" scheme starts on Tuesday. A coincidence?

Living dolls in Indonesia

Scotland on Sunday - "Drivers jockey for position as gridlock worsens".

The Times touts tags

"Technology could stop speeding and crashes".


Saturday 16 May 2009

Bit more on Trolls wanted

From the website of Jane Tomlinson who is leading the campaign for the removal of tolls on the Swinford bridge across the Thames at Witney (in David Cameron's constituency) - Scrap the toll.
Jane is encouraging people to email David Cameron and two of people at Oxfordshire - Councillor Ian Hudspeth and Steve Howell, the Council's head of transport.

Key to low inflation is making people believe that it is so

Bank of England - "The formation of inflation expectations: an empirical analysis for the UK" pdf.

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Land Line Mag - "Pennsylvania lawmakers renew effort to toll I-80".

The Devil comes to China

Xinhuanet - "China's unhealthy and unhappy car culture".

Indonesian toll increases

Jakarta Post - "Jasa Marga confident on tariff hikes plan".


Friday 15 May 2009

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Florida - "Apopka Expressway opens today"   Illinois - "Tollway contractors gets more cash, oversight"   "Proposed laws would raise Michigan gas tax, vehicle registration fees, authorize toll roads to raise $1.8 billion for road repairs"   Pennsylvania - "Transportation Secretary Biehler named chair of Turnpike Commission"   Louisiana - "Transportation department details how it will collect tolls on new Leeville bridge"   Virginia - "Local leaders concerned about HOT lanes"   Washington State - "Toll of new 520 floating bridge will boost Grays Harbor economy".

Fight over who builds toll bridge

Detroit Free Press - "Bridge owner sues, raises racial-bias argument".

Welsh Nats support Con

In their manifesto for the European elections, Plaid Cymru say that "We will campaign for .... congestion charging where appropriate." Plaid are in a coalition with Labour, so this could be a real threat. The two main opposition parties - Tories and Lib Dems seem to say nothing about this, and none of the parties mention the toll that has to be paid to enter South Wales across the Severn.

End of the Earth delayed

BBC - "Ice sheet melt threat reassessed". The BBC must have a unit dedicated to these Global Warming stories which rely on people's ignorance. The current "Ice Age" started about 2.5 million years. It could be waning to an end or it could have 100 milion years to go. Within that Ice Age the last "glacial maxima" was only about 20,000 years ago. A long time compared with our seventy year span but hardly noticeable in the 4.5 billion years that the Earth has been around. For about 90% of that time the Earth has been warmer than it is now.   Wikipedia - "Ice age".
A rapid movement towards the norm of warmer temperatures (whatever causes it) and no ice would probably be a problem but this is dwarfed by the definite problem that the Earth is facing and the politicians are ignoring - too many people.


Thursday 14 May 2009

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - California - "Bay Area bridges to get more FasTrak lanes"   Texas - "Honor system the past with new axle-counting toll system" video   Florida - "Regional bridge should be public"   Washington State - "Gregoire signs bill to toll 520 Bridge"   Louisiana - "New toll bridge to open on flood-prone route to Grand Isle, Port Fourchon"   New Hampshire - "Senate Approves High-Speed Toll Plan"   Virginia - "Private group to pitch plan for updating Dominion Blvd."   New York - "Historically Speaking: Toll On".

ABD say Cambridge traffic has not increased

Cambridge News - "Association says congestion lower, so why charge?".

More on Trolls wanted

Bicester Advertiser - "Toll bridge for sale"   Witney Gazette - "Famous 5p toll bridge up for sale for £1.6m"   BBC - "Toll bridge on market for £1.65m". There can't be many other businesses that don't have to pay tax - perhaps this idea could spread?

Bit more on Manchester Plan B

Manchester Evening News - "£1.4bn transport deal unveiled". Here is a repeat of link to story yesterday which has attracted 80 comments - Manchester Evening News - "£1.4bn transport boost".

More Global warming hype

From the Doctors - Times - "Climate change biggest threat to humans"   Blomberg - "Global Warming May Exceed Infections, Poverty as Health Threat"   Lancet Editorial (pdf)   Lancet Comment (pdf)   Lancet full report (pdf - 19Mb). This is a dangerous report, it actually mentions population growth but only in the context that population growth will make it harder to keep cool!!


Wednesday 13 May 2009

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Massachusetts - "Limiting the diversion of Pike tolls"   Florida - "Outer Beltway given new life by lawmakers"   New York / New Jersey - "Port Authority Blames Downturn for Traffic Drop"   Massachusetts - "Local reps join battle vs. moving toll monies"   Land Line Mag - "Texas House advances transportation overhaul bill".

"Traffic numbers in free fall"

Sault Star - "International Bridge records biggest tumble in its history".

All you ever wanted to know about Inflation

Bank of England - "Inflation Report May 2009".

Manchester Plan B

One of the favorite slogans of the Manchester trolls who tried to force through c-charging was that there was no Plan B. It seems that things have changed - Local Gov - "Manchester gets £1.4bn transport package"  Manchester Evening News - "£1.4bn transport boost"   Transport Briefing - "Manchester transport strategy replaces TIF blueprint"   Railway Gazette - "Manchester’s ‘big bang’ back on"   Stockport Express - "Momentous decision backs relief road".

Trolls wanted

Oxford Times - "Swinford toll bridge up for sale". In any sane and fair country these hated tolls would have been removed long ago. There is no new Act required as the Government and local authorities can already compulsorily acquire any tolled road or crossing.

Toll payers wanted

Business Week - "Reconsidering the German-Danish Bridge".


Tuesday 12 May 2009

USA Roundup

Other stories - California - "Bay Area bridges to get more FasTrak lanes"   Massachusetts - "Senators eye sales, gas, booze tax in budget bind"   New York - "Subway and Bus Riders Will Pay More, but Less Than They Feared"   Land Line Mag - "Connecticut considers tolling, congestion pricing".

EU pushing toll tags

Euractiv - "EU pushes for smart tag revolution".
The story says that to protect privacy, retailers will have to "deactivate" tags at the "point of sale". Sounds ideal for tolling if the tags are deactivated!!

"Toll-free Western Ring Route Good For Motorists"

Press release from AA in Scoop.

No tolls and no cars

Independent - "Green light for car ban in heart of the capital".

Toll souvenirs of Singapore

Asia One - "New ERP gantries launched...on coasters, clocks ".

Bit more on Big Bad Bogeyman crawling out of his hole

Cambridge News - "Charge could help business". The story mentions John Bridge and the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce who are opposing the Cambridge road tolls plan. The Chambers and the Confederation of British Industry are of course separate organisations.


Monday 11 May 2009

USA Roundup - later stories

Other stories - Texas - "Checks against toll roads vanish in TexDOT bill"   Massachusetts - "Why won't they take credit at tollbooths?".

M6 Toll woes PS

Further to yesterday's story here is a report on the Driver's Alliance site. It include a link to the programme - BBC - "The Politics Show West Midlands" (slide to 48 minutes in).

Big Bad Bogeyman crawls out of his hole

CBI - "Congestion Charging Can Benefit Business, New Research Shows"   the report(pdf).
Given the financial nous of the CBI, it is a wonder than Britain is not in an even bigger mess. The report does not attempt to work out the cost of implementing and running a scheme but says that "For the purpose of this analysis a scheme efficiency of 80%, based on the recently implemented Stockholm scheme, has been used." It does not say what daily charge the 80% is a proportion of, and with the London charge costing about £4 to £5 to collect, either substantially underestimates the costs or assumes a charge of about £20 a day - small change for the CBI bosses.
PS Some reaction - The Journal (Newcastle)- "Green light a long way away for road charges".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Massachusetts - "Gas tax increase is better than raising the tolls"   West Virginia - "Toll Increase Hearings Next Week"   New York - "Will the Bailout Plan Save the MTA?"   Connecticut - "Tell state how you feel about tolls"   Connecticut - "Public to have say on tolls this week"   New York - "Winners and losers in the MTA bailout".

More private tolls in the land where the Government officially abolished tolls

CCtv - "Guangxi attracts private funding for highway expansion".

Toll investments

Seeking Alpha - "‘Civil action’ vs. Mass pike - Famed lawyer takes up fight for toll-payers".

Toll road not helping

Laestrella - "Expensive corridors are worsening gridlocks".


Sunday 10 May 2009

M6 Toll woes

The BBC Politics show today included a report on the M6 Toll road. Peter Roberts from the Driver's Allinace spoke on behalf of road users. The RHA chipped in an unusual suggestion - the Government should buy one milion free journies for lorries. The one politician who spoke on the issue was against the spending of any public money and said that all would be well if the company reduced their prices. Presumably the company know better than the MP how this will affect their income, and with politicians like this then motorists and hauliers will continue to be bled while the West Midlands suffers from congestion that could esily be removed by removing the toll.

Toll tunnel still leaking cash

Sydney Morning Herald - "Debt reprieve for troubled tunnel".

USA Roundup

Illinois - "Is tollway board up for grabs?"   Connecticut - "Toll proposals to be discussed at Thursday hearing"   New York - "Winners and losers in the MTA bailout".


Saturday 9 May 2009

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Oregon / Washington State - "Pro-rate tolls based on residency" letter   Texas - "House ire results in mishmash transportation policy changes"   Florida - "Jacksonville toll road gets approval of state legislature"   Washington State - "Suburban Cities Association stays neutral on I-90 tolling"   DC / Virginia - "Highway departments set on HOT lanes".

More on effect of toll cut and Golden Week

Daily Yomiuri - "Toll cut adds to Golden Week traffic /1,000 yen cap on expressways sees 20% more usage; JR reports 7% drop in passengers".

"Beijing retreats on fuel price promise"

NineMSN. Another sign that the trolls have largely evaded the central Government decision to remove tolls and introduce fuel taxes to help conserve fuel and reduce air pollution.

"Car scrappage scheme 'unpopular'"

BBC. Whether unpopular or not, this is an example of the Government trying to give the impression that it is doing something, but being ineffective. Paying people to scrap a still usable car is sheer waste, it would have been better to bring forward delayed car sales by waiving say the first four years VED on a new car purchased now (with car sales later in the year, having the number of years VED saving tapered out). Though the aim - to help British car manufacturers - is a difficult one to achieve within EU and world trading rules, as the vast majority of cars sold in Britain are made abroad.


Friday 8 May 2009

Reprieve

Inside Costa Rica - "San José - Caldera Highway Tolls On Hold".

Humber toll - Minister says Wait

Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Toll campaigners told to wait for decision".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - New York - "Toll collector suspended for making e-mail threats"   West Virginia - "Parkways Authority discusses upcoming hearings on proposed toll hike, buys 10,000 transponders"   "Texas House debates TxDOT overhaul, toll roads"   New Hampshire - "Raising NH's gas tax is more fair than raising tolls and fees".

Times dreaming

Times - "Road tolls less likely as traffic declines"   Times - "White van man halted by credit crunch and higher fuel prices".
The Times is of course a big suporter of road pricing. In our view reduced traffic is likely to be temporary and even if it were permanent the politicians and trolls will still try to bleed further money from drivers.

Audit report on road deaths

Times - "Road deaths must be cut further by Government, safety report says"   National Audit Office - "Department for Transport: Improving road safety for pedestrians and cyclists in Great Britain" report etc. The cyclist on the cover of the report appears to have gone though a red light. Is this an official endorsement of this practice?
PS The ABD have called for the "full facts and figures for every child death for the last three years to be published, with only the names and personal details of those involved removed .... so that the true causes of these tragedies can be seen and appropriate measures to prevent them reoccurring taken. They suggest that if the Government don't want people to know the facts then perhaps Joanna Lumley can persuade them!


Thursday 7May 2009

USA Roundup

More on MTA agreed bail out - Queens Chronicle - "Breakthrough MTA rescue plan: legislators reach accord "   Staten Island Advance - "Staten Island's Tobacco loses bid to stall V-N toll hike"   Daily News editorial - "Downright lousy: Mass-transit rescue shows Albany at its worst"   Daily News - "Albany to the rescue: Legislators derail 'doomsday,' pass MTA".
NY Times - "M.T.A. Rescue Passes, but Impact Is Questioned"   NY1 - "In Wake Of Deal, MTA Leadership Remains Uncertain" video   Crain's - "MTA rescue plan elicits muted applause"   WNYC - "The Tax That Dare Not Speak Its Name"   Daily News - "Bloomberg On MTA: 'Not Perfect' But 'Best We Can Get'"   Wall Street Journal - "New York Transit Bailout Resolved for $2.26 Billion in First Year".

Kiwi farmers want road charges

Scoop - "Farmers say no to diesel tax".
It seems that drivers of diesel vehicles in New Zealand pay no fuel tax, instead they pay "road charges" - Land Transport - "Road user charges". A bizarre situation when there are various reasons for encouraging less use of fuel. The farmers it seems don't want diesel duty as they don't want the hassle of claiming refunds, though that is not one per cent of the trouble that road charges must cause others. Perhaps if the farmers don't want the hassle they need not claim rebates on any diesel duty!!

More helicopter money

The Bank of England is leaving interest rates at 0.5 per cent, and throwing another fifty billion pounds at the banking system - BBC - "Economy to get extra £50bn boost"   News release - "Bank of England Maintains Bank Rate at 0.5% and Increases Size of Asset Purchase Programme by £50 Billion to £125 Billion.

Traffic down, particularly lorries

BBC - "Recession 'hitting lorry numbers'"   DfT News release - "Road Traffic and Congestion in Great Britain: Quarter 1 2009" links at top right to details.


Wednesday 6 May 2009

Disunity

Press Release from "Campaign for an Engish Parliament" - Politics - "The double standards in the way the Government treats England in comparison with Scotland are simply blatant ".
The cost of removing tolls in Scotland was minute. Admittedly the new Forth road bridge is to cost a king's ransom, but there is no way this rip off could have been financed through tolls. The real problem is that some of the Scottish politicians stood up for their constituents, in England (and Wales) they seem to instead be working for the trolls.

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Virginia - "HOT lanes construction to pump billions into economy"   Connecticut - "Toll consultant: 9 ways to pay without delay"   Oregon / Washington State - "Yes, they both cross the Columbia River, but I-205 and I-5 bridges vary greatly".
Florida - "Orlando toll roads may go cashless"   Missouri - "Tolls for highway work: An easier pill to swallow?".

Toll traffic down

Independent - "Recession reducing traffic volume on transport routes".

Cyclists Über Alles

CTV (British Columbia) - "Burrard St. Bridge bike lane decision delayed" video.

Some progress towards toll removal

To a large extent the central Government decision (for the second time) to replace tolls with fuel taxes has been ignored, and in many cases even where the tolls have been removed it has been replaced with the farce of drivers having to queue to hand over free tokens. But there is some progress - CCTV - "12 provinces scrap tolls on 2nd tier roads".

"Greens call for Govt to overrule Mayor over LEZ"

Mayor Watch.

Scottish Newspaper trolls still alive and kicking

The Herald - "Unsustainable policy".


Tuesday 5 May 2009

Another call for Dartford Toll to be scrapped to reduce pollution

Kent News - "Scrap Dartford Tolls and let people breathe easy".

Abingdon says No to Con, wants a second bridge so traffic does not go through centre

Oxford Mail - "Second river bridge could cut Abingdon air pollution".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - West Virginia - "More toll roads ahead in W.Va.?".
Florida - "Lee County toll changes on hold for a month, at least"   California - "Marin cool to 'Lexus lanes' plan for Highway 101"   Florida - "Lee County DOT talks toll raises to offset revenue shortfalls" video   Land Line Mag - "Toll hearings this week in Connecticut, Texas"   Florida - "Plan would raise tolls with inflation" video   Florida - "Audit Shows Out-Of-State Toll Runners Not Fined" video   Oregon / Washington State - "Meeting to discuss toll option for Columbia River Crossing Project".

Humber toll - worth waiting

Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Call for toll decision after eight-week wait". This and previous Governments have NEVER rejected a call for more tolls, so perhaps the longer the wait, the better.

More e-toll problems

NZ Herald - "Toll system hit by technical issues - again ".

Union still pushing tolls

Northern Light (New Brunswick) - "Highways tolls, reducing double dipping are workable alternatives to cutting civil service jobs: union".

Update on Port Mann fiasco

Cowichan News (B.C.) - "Benefits of P3s hard to see"   Tri City News (B.C.) - "Bridging the Port Mann Bridge credibility gap".


Monday 4 May 2009

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Nevada - "Bypass proponents charting a new course"   Florida - "Lee County bridge tolls may be on rise".

Fiat takeaway

BBC - "Fiat in talks over GM Europe move"   CNN - "Fiat could seek merger, listing with GM Europe"   Economist 24 April - "Fiat’s grand plans".


Sunday 3 May 2009

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - New York - "Paterson Urges Legislature to Pass Quick Fix M.T.A".

"Government 'missing own CO2 goal'"

BBC. A target for 2011-12? We thought that the Government tactic was to double your last target but postpone it till the 12th of Never. If there really still is an imminent target then the Government can probably rely on the main factor that has affected Britain's CO2 over the last decade or two or three - the elimination of Britain's manufacturing industry.

"How to avoid traffic jams in Golden Week"

Daily Yomiuri. The toll reductions and capping have led to more traffic, but drivers may still save time as with the previous high tolls, drivers would take detours to minimise the number of toll barriers they went through.


Saturday 2 May 2009

Public Private Peculation is poorly

Gerson Lehrman Group - "Public-Private Partnerships for Infrastructure: RIP".

PPP toll scheme dead

The Chronicle (Queensland) - "Toowoomba Bypass plan sunk".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Connecticut - "Road to nowhere Tolls on I-84 would hurt business, place unfair burden on border municipalities"   Florida - "Effort to review toll road plans dies in the House"   Connecticut - "State will hold local hearing on tolling proposals"   West Virginia - "Committee discusses future projects, toll increase issues"   West Virginia - "Parkways Authority Meeting in Raleigh Co." video   West Virginia - "Turnpike prepares for public hearings"   Rhode Island - "Toll hikes sought to finance bridge repairs"   New York - "Albany to Review MTA Bailout" video.

Welsh Assembly suggests that most people support Con
"6.9% of people strongly support a charge for driving on congested roads at peak times, and 40.6% strongly oppose the concept. Yet if all revenue were returned to the driver through cheaper petrol or road tax, then 22.9% of respondents would strongly back a congestion charge – with 31.3% tending to support it." - Western Mail - "Social trends revealed by an Assembly Government survey of modern Welsh life"   "Living in Wales Survey 2008" pdf (questions on a Con are on pages 15 & 16).
This survey carried out by Ipsos MORI is based on the usual deception where people are given false choices which assume that a Con charge costs nothing to collect, whereas the truth is that in London about half of the £8 is wasted on collection and enforcemsnt costs.


Friday 1 May 2009

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Florida - "Transportation bill may hamper Alligator Alley privatization"   Texas - "Toll skippers, get ready to shell out"   West Virginia - "Committee discusses future projects, toll increase issues"   West Virginia - "Committee discusses future projects, toll increase issues"   West Virginia - "Parkways Authority Meeting in Raleigh Co." video   West Virginia - "Turnpike prepares for public hearings"   Rhode Island - "Toll hikes sought to finance bridge repairs"   New York - "Albany to Review MTA Bailout" video.

Drivers want to drive

Jakarta Post - "Car use limitations? Not for now". One reason that there are long queues for the bus is that Jakarta has 8.5 million people, only 50 years ago the population was one million. The problem will eventually be queues for bread.

Suggestion that Japan should remove tolls to stimulate car sales

Bloomberg - "Toyota Leads Japan Sales to Worst April Since 1968".

Swiss don't want road pricing and will keep vignette

Geneva Lunch - "Autoroute sticker here to stay, but fine could go up". The vignette system is sometimes desbibed as a toll, but it is a fixed charge, in effect a supplementary vehicle excise duty designed to tax foreign vehicles.

Ships show the way