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TOLLS NEWS, CONGESTION CHARGE NEWS, ROAD PRICING NEWS

Other stories - Florida - "Private funds for a bridge?"   Massachusetts - "There's a better solution than raising tolls"   Land Line Mag - "New York bills would kill some tolls ".

Interview with new Transport Secretary

Daily Telegraph - "Geoff Hoon interview". No clues as to which way he will jump on tolls and road pricing.

More on Humber tolls

Grimsby Telegraph - "Local MPs back calls for Commons bridge toll debate"   Scunthorpe Telegraph - "National backing for bridge tolls protest"   Hull Daily Mail - "Hundreds object to Humber Bridge toll rise".
One of the petitions (there are separate ones from each local paper) - Scunthorpe Telegraph - "A Toll Too Far".

Crazy Canadian Carbon Trading

National Post - "The folly, and lesson, of B.C.’s carbon tax". The plan includes forcing local authorities to reduce carbon emissions to zero or to buy "carbon offsets". As Canada is one country that might gain from global warming (if it is really happening), why should they take part in the charade of carbon trading?


Friday 10 October 2008

USA Roundup - update

Other stories - California - "Governor Signs Authorization Bill - Sandag to Collect Tolls for Second Otay Border Crossing".

Another London Toll?

Evening Standard - "Now London borough thinks of starting its own congestion charge".

Irish eyes are watching

Herald - "Big Brother has his eye on us at every toll road - Tag system: Not only is it a real headache, it also puts our personal details online for all the world to see".

"Consultation" ends
The consultation on removing the western extension closed last Sunday - TfL - "Consultation on the Western Extension of the Congestion Charging zone". It seems likely that the new Mayor will ignore the views of most people and small businesses who want the charge removed. He will instead bow to the wishes of the TfL Politburo and various big business interests by keeping the zone with minor changes to to the charge rules.

Toll tunnel going under

Daily Telegraph - "Crisis hits Lane Cove Tunnel bid".

USA Roundup

Florida - "Editorial: Alley toll plan blurs leasing issue"   New Jersey - "Governor following script on toll hikes"   Washington State - "Critics fear traffic backup with I-985"   Texas - "Toll funds may underwrite new toll roads"   New Jersey - "GOP attacks latest toll hike plan"   Land Line Mag - "Comments due Friday on New York plan that could cost truckers millions"   Land Line Mag - "New Jersey officials to vote Friday on toll increases; still time to comment"   Land Line Mag - "Some California toll bills hit; others miss"   New Jersey - "Editorial: Find new ways to fix state's infrastructure"   New Jersey - "Lance Challenges Kolluri Demonstrate Toll Revenues Can Be Used Trans-Hudson Tunnel".

Who's hurting the most?
BBC - "Global financial crisis" - One of the main reasons for the credit crunch in Britain has been the housing price bubble in Britain and America, which was going to burst sooner or later. The effect on the real world need not be that great, but those who borrow to get gains from asset inflation have considerable influence. Bizarrely this means that, though house prices in Britain have only fallen back to the levels of early 2006 Price graph (the price fall in America is greater, but even there house prices are still higher then at the start of 2004 - S&P Home Price indices), the best proxy for the real economy - the Stock Markets - are crashing around the world. Perhaps the markets are crashing because investors and bankers realise that Governments are pumping so much cash into the system that the next crash will be worse - this may make them reluctant to lend to even safe businesses.
One of the main beneficiaries of the extra £400 billion that the Government pumped into the system on Wednesday was the share price of HBOS - the bank that is based in the Chancellor's home city. It was of course the Chancellor when he was Transport Secretary who launched the road pricing plan in July 2004. Though he was no longer Transport Secretary he was enthusiastically backing the tolls idea as recently as June. Perhaps he will now try and kill two birds with one stone - by making roads users pay for the bail out of the system.

More on Humber Tolls

Hull Daily Mail - "Firms urge 'end the toll trade barrier'"   Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Bridge builder joins battle over tolls".


Thursday 9 October 2008

Government's "Low Carbon" adviser favours road pricing

Telegraph - "Why motoring will only get more expensive: The car makers fight back".

USA Roundup

Other stories - Louisiana - "Keep toll roads as a state option"   Florida - "Bitten by the alligator tax"   Indiana - "The Road to Indianapolis "   Washington State - "Congestion conjecture: Eyman's I-985"   Florida - "Alligator Alley tolls to increase under proposed lease to private contractor"   Washington State- "No traffic, no problem?"   Florida - "Hearings to be held on proposed Alligator Alley toll increases".

More on removing Humber tolls

Hull Daily Mail - "Hauliers support Mail fight against Humber Bridge tolls". As lorries pay up to £18.30 each way, it is surprising that hauliers were not complaining before. Other stories - Grimsby Telegraph - "Support builds for bridge tolls campaigns"   Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Hundreds back tolls battle".

Get on yer bike
The Bristol establishment have long been an advocate of "congestion charges", though so far nothing has happened. The latest twist is a car ban - Bristol Evening Post - "'Let's make Bristol city centre bike-only'". Will the next step be that the cyclists will also want pedestrians banned as they get in the way on the pavements and are so neurotic about cyclists going through red lights?

Two recent bits on Global Warming

Recent temperature trend, a slightly sceptical report - International Arctic Research Centre - "The Recovery from the Little Ice Age (A Possible Cause of Global Warming) and The Recent Halting of the Warming (The Multi-decadal Oscillation)" (may be slow to download).

"Road tolls not 'bad plan'"

The Chronicle Herald (Halifax).


Wednesday 8 October 2008

More on removing Humber tolls

A comparison has been made with Scotland - BBC - "Pressure to lose the tolls" video. It is disappointing the the Scottish trolls are helping their English allies with the usual myths including that removal of tolls has led to delays of up to an hour to cross the bridges. There were delays when the last two tolls were removed (Forth and Tay), but that was because the bridge authorities at that point reduced the capacity of the bridges in order to carry out bridge works. The removal of the Skye tolls had no effect on congestion as traffic is light, but the removal of tolls on the other three bridges has reduced congestion as it has removed the delays to pay the tolls and it has reduced the volume of traffic diverting on to less suitable routes to avoid the tolls.

USA Roundup

Other stories - Colorado- "A way to fix roads without tolls, taxes".
Tuesday - Texas - "Motorists Face Toll Fee Increases On Westpark and Fort Bend Parkway"   New York - "Rescind Thruway toll hikes"   Florida - "Let's hope governor's slight backpedaling on Alley lease plan is promising sign".
Sunday New Jersey / New York - "No free rides"   Louisiana - "DOTD secretary says state must consider tolls"   Texas - "There's no beating the TollTag system".

Stoking up Inflation
The Governor of the Bank of England has under Government pressure abandoned the token efforts to control inflation - BBC - "Central banks cut interest rates". It has also been revealed that as part of the banks dole package, they will be forced to increase the level of mortgages in an effort to restart the house price spiral.

Company charge card

Evening Standard - "Company car drivers rack up £1m fines in" (western extension).

Tolls are good for you

Tolls encourage you to stay home - Surrey Leader - "EDITORIAL: Tolls won’t hurt us".

Disappointment that new road won't be tolled

Scoop - "No tolls for Penlink a surprise".

Removing Humber toll would give gain of Billion Pounds

Other Humber stories - Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Sign up to help tolls fight"   Grimsby Telegraph - "Join our battle to scrap bridge tolls - sign up today"   Hull Daily Mail - "Sign up to scrap Humber Bridge tolls"   BBC - "'Damaging' effect of bridge tolls"   Scunthorpe Telegraph - "£1-million toll on region's businesses"   Grimsby Telegraph - "Bridge toll has businesses at breaking point"   Hull Daily Mail - "Tolls: 'A brake on success of our economy'".

Cambridge Toll - Transport "experts" propose double charges

CEN Tuesday - "Transport experts toy with £8 double charge".

Chilly reception to electronic tolling

El Mercurio Tuesday - "Highway concessionaries claim it is risky to use TAG on inter-city routes".

New Forest tolls
Bit more on the opposition, though most of it seems to be coming from dog owners who are concerned about other restrictions. The authorities say that "the idea of pricing is nothing new" - Salisbury Journal - "National park boss defends plans"   Daily Echo Monday - "Campaigners start £50,000 Forest fund".

Irish drivers too stupid to pay tolls properly

Sunday Times - "Kathy Foley: Do you pass the Dempsey toll IQ test?".

Capitalist system on the dole
The Government is today announcing that it will give the banks 50 billion pounds to boost their share capital AND at the same time will put more money into the banking system AND will guarantee more bank debts AND will buy more toxic debts from the banks - BBC - "Rescue plan for UK banks unveiled".
It has become impossible to determine how much money the Government has now pumped into the "free enterprise" system over the last year. It is also too soon to say how much of the bailout will be transfers of capital via the FSA Financial Services Compensation scheme from the less imprudent banks to other banks who operate in Britain and effectively go bust. We can however judge who the gainers and losers are. The gainers will be the banks which have taken the biggest risks, borrowers and those who hold assets. The losers are pretty much everybody, but particularly savers, taxpayers and those banks who have acted more prudently. The lesson to people and banks is that if you want to be a winner you will borrow rather than save and you will look to everyone else to bail you out.


Saturday 4 October 2008

USA Roundup

Massachusetts - "Pike rating almost junk"   Massachusetts - "Driving costs are taking toll on commuters" letter   Florida - "Sides debate value of Alley lease at forum"   Land Line Mag - "New York considering wide use of public-private partnerships"   Colorado - "Vote yes to improve transportation"   Massachusetts - "End of the road for Turnpike Authority?".

Telegraph comment on New Transport Secretary

"Another reshuffle, another Transport Secretary".

Bonfire of Economic rules
Yesterday the US House of Reps followed the Senate and agreed the $700 billion banks bail out package. Good news for Trolls who want an unlimited supply of cheap money, but a disaster for prudence and stability - BBC - "Global financial crisis".
The $700 billion will indirectly create possibly trillions of new credit. This will add to the trillion or two that has already been pumped into the banking system by the world's central banks over the last year. The aim of the politicians is that the banks will engage in more imprudent lending to maintain the feel good factor. But will the banks make the same mistake twice? If they do, will there be another bail out come the next crunch?

Bit More on Humber Tolls

Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Campaign group's optimism on Humber tolls".


Friday 3 October 2008

More on Border toll

Buffalo News (NY) - "Stopped at the bridge".

USA Roundup

Other stories - newspaper.com - "Texas City Goes After County for Not Paying Tickets"   New York - "Thruway to cut road projects because of fiscal woes"   California - "O.C. toll road weaves through complex maze of state, federal agencies"   Pennsylvania - "Editorial: Highway Funding"   New York - "Thruway Authority puts brakes on project"   New York - "Thruway Delays For Major WNY Projects"   Florida - "Toll Road Traffic Drops Dramatically".

New Transport Secretary is ex WMD man
Geoff Hoon, who was the Chief Whip is replacing Ruth Kelly as Transport Secretary. His views on the various forms of tolls are not known, but he seems to be the type of person who will push ahead in whatever direction he is aimed at. Some reports suggest that this is just a temporary posting on the Transport Secretary merry-go-round.
It has also been announced that Ruth Kelly will stand down as an MP at the next election. Given her promotion of the Manchester tolls scheme, she may not have survived the election anyway.

Lib Dems want a new toll for Lorries
The Lib Dems are calling for more train lines, they say that they will pay for them by a Lorry Road Users Charging scheme. Unlike the Government scheme that was abandoned because it produced no net money, this scheme will make a profit by not giving any rebates to British registered lorries - Liverpool Daily Post - "Clegg joins calls for high-speed rail link to NW".

Coquihalla
Over the last week there have been a lot of reports about the abrupt end to tolls on the Coquihalla highway. Here are a few of the latest - The Province - "We'd all be up the creek if not for our 'dirty, polluting' trucks"   Globe and Mail - "Campbell may have his populist groove back, but voters never forget"   BC Local - "Coquihalla toll booths come down"   CTV - "Premier faces heat at Coquihalla toll demolition".

EU don't like the six monthly "toll"

EU Business - "Slovenia's road tax system unfair to foreigners, says EU"   EurActiv - "Commission warns Slovenia over 'unfair' road tax".

Bit More on Humber Tolls

Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Last chance to oppose rise in bridge tolls". (Closing date is Monday.)


Thursday 2 October 2008

USA Roundup

New York - "Relocation of Thruway's Williamsville toll barrier scrapped due to fiscal woes"   New Jersey - "Corzine: 'Minimal' toll increase the goal"   "Study offers short-term fixes to keep traffic moving in Southern California"   Massachusetts - "Turnpike Authority may face demise"   Pennsylvania - "Turnpike CEO pleased lease plan dropped"   Texas - "County employees rack up tolls and tickets"   Texas - "Bailout woes impact toll's future"   New Jersey - "GOP lawmakers unhappy with turnpike records delay".

London Two

TfL have for some time said that the failure of the Congestion Charge is due to road works (though the year before the charge was introduced they seemed to be digging up all the roads), now they have come up with another excuse - "cleaner engines" - Evening Standard - "Benefits of C-charge 'eroded' by roadworks".

More Irish fun

Belfast Telegraph - "5,000 drivers fail to pay M50 toll every day"   Irish Times - "Dempsey defends M50 toll system".

Congestion charge extended

The Spoof.

Bit More on Humber Tolls

Grimsby Telegraph - "Councillors back bridge toll rise ban"   Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Shops could be boosted if tolls cut".


Wednesday 1 October 2008

Rose amongst the thorns

The Aucklander - "Ask not for whom the road tolls".

Tolls veteran takes speed cameras to court

BBC - "Speed cameras challenge on hold".

"TfL ‘lies’ skew the vote on C-charge extension vote"
From Andrew Gilligan, who started the Iraq "dirty dossier" furore - Evening Standard.

Association of British Drivers says that Vehicle Duty should be scrapped

Press release - "ABD Outlines Case For Scrapping Of 'Car Possession Tax' (VED)".

USA Roundup

Other stories - New Jersey / Pennsylvania - "Toll bridge traffic down; revenues up"   New Jersey / Pennsylvania - "Bridge tolls to fund P'burg Union Square"   New York - "Gov. mulls a state sale"   "Some drivers using Florida's Turnpike experience expensive toll glitch".

Deep Blue Sea changes again
Despite earlier reports, the Tory Shadow Roads Minister has now said that the Tories will keep any Manchester tolls scheme - New Civil Engineer - "Tories back down over TIF".

Reading border toll to pay for new Thames bridge

Reading Evening Post - "Third bridge key to funds".

More on Irish toll new "system"

Irish Times - "M50 tolling system misreads details of 10,000 cars a day".

No tolls, green?
Edinburgh, where the people rejected congestion charges in February 2005 Toll Poll, is the greenest British city by a "considerable margin" - Scotsman - "Edinburgh greenest city in Britain, claims poll".

Redundant?

Vancouver Sun - "Toll building gets $100,000 facelift months before the wrecking ball". Perhaps they could have mothballed it as though one toll has gone, the politicians may add tolls elsewhere - after the elections.

Bit More on Humber Tolls

Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Pedalling saves pounds for commuter".


Tuesday 30 September 2008

Irish drivers do their bit for the economy by paying tolls when they did not use the road

Herald - "Commuters still being charged M50 tolls for journeys they don't make".

Bit more on Deep Blue Sea
Transport Briefing gives a slightly different spin to the transport announcements at yesterday's Tory conference. They say Theresa Villiers said that the party would - "dismantle the government's £2bn Transport Innovation Fund, which was set up to encourage local authorities to adopt road pricing policies. The money would be redistributed to councils, allowing them to spend the cash on bus and cycling projects. However, it leaves Manchester's plans for a congestion charge facing uncertainty should the Conservatives win the next General Election".
PS This report from The Journal (North East) gives a similar account - "No more 'blackmail' over transport cash".
Also today, David Cameron in a BBC interview said that the Government uses Transport Innovation Fund money "to bribe councils" to introduce congestion charging and that a future Tory Government would keep TIF but not use it in that way.

In favour of Reading border toll

Reading Evening Post - "In favour of road pricing".

More on Nottingham parking toll plan
Nottingham is selling the parking tax idea to other councils, despite opposition in its own area - Daily Mail - "Workers face £180-a-year tax for driving to work under plans to charge businesses for parking spaces"   Leicester Mercury - "Parking tax 'is on the way'"   Fenland Citizen - "Charging firms for staff parking 'would boost economy'".
PS There was also this yesterday on BBC, with Professor Begg a veteran pro tolls camapigner backing the idea - "Expert view on city's congestion ".

Traders?

Evening Standard - "Reduce C-charge to four hours a day, say traders". "London First" are not "traders" they are a business establishment group who consistently supported Red Ken's London tolls. Most retail "traders" want to see the charges removed altogether. We hope that this story is not a sign that the new Mayor intends to ignore the current consultation and keep the western extension.

Earth melting?
Yesterday the US House of Reps rejected the $700 billion banks bail out package - BBC - "House votes down bail-out package". It seems that the Congressmen did not accept the usual line that the big bankers can't be allowed to lose because the world will come to an end. Though it is likely that after minor changes, the bail out will proceed.
One effect of the bail out package is that it will keep the private turnpike show on the road in America and around the world. These devices rely on guarantees (usually secret) from Governments that there will be traffic "funneling" and no competition. They assume that there will be traffic growth encouraged by Governments constraining fuel prices (and cutting gas taxes where necessary) and not constraining population growth. But private turnpikes also rely on cheap money pushed into the system by central banks.

USA Roundup

Other stories - New Jersey / New York - "1,087 unpaid tolls? That’s no record"   New Jersey - "Another hearing set for toll increases"   New Jersey / New York - "Weehawken driver owes $33G for tolls"   Massachusetts - "Editorial: Opting for more toll inequity"   Canada / New York - "Maziarz fires new salvo at Bridge Commission"   California - "Governor vetoes fix for confidential plate problems"   Washington State - "Initiative 985, pro and con"   California - "Toll fees cut on 91 Freeway".

Bit More on Humber Tolls

Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Car-sharers join bridge campaign".

Private roads not wanted

Scoop - "Stop SH20 PPP & Tolls: Public Meeting Oct 8".


Monday 29 September 2008

Deep Blue Sea
The lack of electoral choice facing drivers was highlighted again at today's Tory Party Conference. It was announced that there would be major spending on new rail lines. It was said that this additional spending would be financed from "existing Government rail budgets". This sounds like a Gordon Brown trick, where he used to announce lots of "new" spending and gave the impression that because he was so clever it would cost nothing. The worry is that the Tories plan to use drivers as a cash cow to finance spending and tax cuts in other areas. It seems that the greenies also think this, because the Tories were today being praised by Greenpeace and the anti roads group now known as "Campaign for Better Transport".
It seems that the Tory Shadow Secretary also told a Manchester reporter that if the Manchester Toll scheme is agreed than the Tories will honor the bribe of £3 billion of public spending.

British Government take on £30 billion of dodgy debts
PS to this story - It has emerged that the financial guarantee scheme will bear the cost of any bad debts. That in effect means that those banks and building societies that are still solvent will have to pay. This could have a domino effect with no banks left standing at the end. It seems that everyone is going to be a loser, except that is for those who have gained massive amounts from the asset inflation over last 15 years. It seems that they got all the gains but inflation will be stoked up to make sure that they don't lose now.

BBC - "B&B nationalisation is confirmed"   BBC - "Official Treasury statement on B&B". The Government are today to take on £50 billion of debts that no one wants, but will get £20 billion back by selling the savings and bank branches to the Spanish. The real effect of this seems to be that the Spanish will administer all £50 billion of mortgage debt, but the Government will give them the £30 billion that is not backed by savings and will bear the bad debts.
On Friday the Bank of England also pumped another $80 billion into the general banking system. The most likely outcome will be stagflation, so the optimum course for individuals and businesses is to go on a spending and borrowing spree. This will probably lead to a crisis in a year or two, which will make the present one look like nothing.

Bit more on Reading border toll

Reading Evening Post - "I hear the dreaded words".

USA Roundup

Other stories - New Jersey - "The Case Of The Remarkable Toll Hike Coincidence Haines: "What About The Sunshine Law""   California - "91 Express Lanes to reduce some tolls".
Massachusetts - "GOP state rep hopeful wants Pike board, tolls removed"   Massachusetts - "Motorists fuming over looming toll hikes"   Pennsylvania - "I-80 toll ban may reduce road projects".

US Government $700 billion giveaway to banks nearly agreed

BBC - "US lawmakers publish rescue deal".

Bit More on Humber Toll Increase

Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Bridge toll burden to students".

Private finance - public money

Mondaq - "Australia: Public Private Partnerships - The Supported Debt Model". Now that the banks have no money, it seems that the idea is to have the usual scam, but most of the refinancing will be public.


Sunday 28 September 2008

USA Roundup

- New Jersey - "Fight toll hikes in the courts"   Florida - "Alligator Alley: Great deal, or great give-away?"   New York - "State eyes feds, users to share span's cost"   Massachusetts - "Pike pushes wider use of Fast Lane"   Illinois - "Ethics loophole needs to be closed"   Massachusetts - "Drivers don't like proposed toll hike"   Connecticut - "Toll roads study on schedule for legislative debate in '09".
Massachusetts - "State rep candidate wants to close turnpike authority"   Massachusetts - "Call made for Big Dig burden to be shared"   Utah - "To toll or not to toll: UDOT looks at options"   Florida - "Senators lead fight against Alligator Alley lease"   Washington State - "Complaint over city's viaduct actions"   New Jersey - "Eliminate toll roads; raise the gasoline tax" letter .

The Herald (Plymouth) - "Tamar crossing tolls up 50 per cent". With this and other planned toll rises, it is increasingly clear that the Government and the authorities are planning that all crossings which currently have a toll of less than £1.50 will have that as the new minimum toll. Maybe it will help offset 0.00001 per cent of the trillions that the Government is pumping into the mortgage system.

Bit More on Humber Toll Increase

BBC - "Councils unite against toll rise"   Grimsby Telegraph - "Businesses object to bridge toll price plan"   Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Bridge tolls keeping tourists away".

More on less Singapore tolls

Straits Times - "Only 1 ERP to be built"   Today Online - "ERP rates lowered, five slated gantries to be scrapped ".

One down ..

Some of the many reports - The Province - "Truckers, businesses ecstatic after Coquihalla tolls dropped"   CTV - "Positive reaction to removal of highway toll"   CBC - "Reaction Hauliers threaten legal action over M50 tollsto end of Coquihalla tolls called `immediate and positive'"   Vancouver Sun - "Bell tolls for charges on Coquihalla Highway". Globe and Mail - "Campbell quashes tolls on Coquihalla Highway"   Canadian Press - "B.C. premier announces end to highway toll amid carbon tax revolt"   BC Local - "Locals win with loss of $10 toll"   BC Local - "Toll booth employees in shock".

.. but more to come?

The Star (Toronto) - "Metrolinx considering road tolls".

Hauliers still complaining

HGV Ireland - "Hauliers threaten legal action over M50 tolls".


Friday 26 September 2008

More on one toll business still coining it

Sydney Morning Herald - "The bleeping price we paid to drive".

Bit more on Reading border toll

BBC - "Funding bid to tackle congestion".

USA Roundup

Other stories - Massachusetts - "Drivers give thumbs-down to turnpike toll hike proposals "   Florida - "Alligator Alley privatization records demanded"   New Jersey - "Kean Uses OPRA To Ask For Information On Corzine Toll Hike Plan"   Massachusetts - "Pike won’t reinstate western tolls"   Massachusetts - "Big hike in tolls for Pike looming"   Colorado - "Effort steers oil-tax funds to roads"   California - "Bridge toll tickets draw fire chief's ire"   Pennsylvania - "Rendell to revive turnpike lease in '09"   New York - "Budget Woes Beget Talk of Commuter Tax"   Oregon / Washington State - "Odds get worse for Columbia River I-5 bridge money"   Canada / New York - "NIAGARA FALLS: Maziarz tries to bridge a secretive gap"   Illinois - "Outgoing tollway chief sees need for higher tolls"   Florida - "Senators to force disclosure of Alligator Alley privatization plans"   Massachusetts - "Momentum increases for substantial toll hike".

Non!

Connexion France - "Congestion charges for towns scrapped".

Back to Go
Singapore has shelved part of its planned extra tolls and is reducing a few existing ones as drivers are using the roads less - Straits Times - "5 gantries won't be built".

More on New Forest toll proposal

Dorset Echo - "Fury over forest pricing proposal"   Southern Daily Echo - "‘Join us if you care about Forest’".

"Beat the tolls, traffic - take a plane to work"

news.com. Australia's Flying knight and toll advocate may have mixed views on using planes to avoid tolls.

Bit More on Humber Tolls

Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Bridge tolls strain on firms' costs".

More self-flagellation

Irish Times - "€4,500 levy on city parking spots urged in climate report".


Thursday 25 September 2008

USA Roundup

New York - "Cop, fire, emergency vehicles to be charged tolls by MTA"   New Jersey - "Traffic is light at Expressway toll hearing in Atlantic City "   Florida - "Even tolls facing a toll: High gas, fewer jobs cause revenue to slide 6 months"   New York - "MTA votes to revoke free E-ZPasses from public agencies"   New York - "$10 Million Extra in Tolls, but What Price in Ill Will?"   New Jersey - "N.J. Turnpike, Parkway Tolls Could Double By 2012"   New York - "Thruway toll hike brings on the truckin' blues".

Business opposition to Nottingham Parking toll plan

Telegraph - "Commuters could be taxed to park cars at work".

New Forest toll proposal

Southern Daily Echo - "Motorists face tolls just to drive through New Forest".

More on Reading border toll

Reading Chronicle - "Congestion charge timescale announced"   Reading Evening Post - "Outsiders face charge to drive".

One toll business still coining it

The Age - "For whom the roads toll - at $1m a day".

Bit more on Transport Secretary going
Today's FT says that "The most burning issue in the bulging in-tray that will greet Ruth Kelly’s successor as transport secretary is likely to be road congestion. A general policy consensus suggests that the way forward is a national system of pay-as-you-go road pricing....". If the rest of the financial sector are as deluded as this, how long before they get us into another financial mess?

Cambridge Congestion boss

Cambridge Evening News - "City seeks new transport head".

More on Humber Tolls

Grimsby Telegraph - "Smaller firms start to build bridges"   Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Chamber joins bridge toll campaign"   Road Transport - "Humber councils join forces to fight bridge tolls"   Hull Daily News - "Businesses object to bridge toll rises".

For and against

Metro News (Halifax) - "Boyd wants bridge tolls slashed".


Wednesday 24 September 2008

Night shift

Road Transport - "Silence is golden for hauliers".

Transport Secretary goes

BBC - "Kelly to step down from cabinet"   Guardian - "Big decisions await Ruth Kelly's successor".
The Tory Telegraph says that her "legacy is surprisingly good" and that "even some influential Tories support the idea" of road pricing - "Ruth Kelly's departure is a blow for transport policy".
By coincidence, yesterday Ruth Kelly was saying that the Manchester road toll scheme may not go ahead even if people are persuaded to vote for it in the local poll - BBC - "Road charge vote 'not final say'". Given the unpopularity of road tolls, the actions of the next Secretary of State will give some idea of whether the Government will try and win the next General election.
PS Part of Ruth Kelly's farewell speech at today's Labour Party Conference - "We must always be the party prepared to take the tough decisions, to do what is right, not just what is popular. To be the radicals in politics. So I congratulate Sir Richard Leese and the Greater Manchester authorities for their ambition. Recognising the problems that congestion causes. And, being prepared to argue for a congestion charge backed by a step-change in public transport to ensure that Manchester remains a world-class place to live and work."

USA Roundup

Other stories - "Some drivers using Florida's Turnpike experience expensive toll glitch"   Pennsylvania - "Turnpike lease lacks support, Teamsters told"   "New Jersey GOP pursues halt to toll hikes; public hearings continue"   Texas - "New LBJ will be a freeway and a tollway".

No tolls, for now

Toronto Sun - "Tolls left out in the cold".


Tuesday 23 September 2008

More on Humber Tolls

BBC - "New calls to abolish bridge toll"   Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Momentum building against tolls".

Bit we missed on Tracking

The Register on 16th - "DfT rounds up Road-Pricing 2.0 contractors - Car-tagging pork barrel opened for early nibbles".

"What's the cost of global warming?"

The Register.

Some silly stuff

Guardian Blog - "Why Labour needs to woo Mr and Mrs Mondeo".

No roads

BBC - "Rally opposes new motorway plans". The campaigners are correct in saying that the new road would do little to reduce congestion, but the reason for that is that the Welsh Assembly intend to toll it.

Drink a pinta
China is exempting vehicles that carry milk from road tolls. Given that thousands of vehicles already use false military plates to avoid tolls, will all lorries now have a milk churn on the back?

USA Roundup

Other stories - New Jersey - "Toll-hike scheme double-bills Shore residents"   "Time arrives to talk about New Jersey highway toll-increase plan"   Pennsylvania - "I-80 toll opponents want law repealed".


Monday 22 September 2008

"Doing nothing is not an option"
Last night the BBC broadcast the last programme in their series "Earth: The Climate Wars". The series was the latest attempt to convince people that there is anthropogenic global warming and that doubters are eccentric nutcases. The subliminal message was that cars were responsible for this impending disaster and the last programme ended with the mantra of those who sell tolls - "Doing nothing is not an option".
In the past the BBC fought to broadcast tobacco sponsored snooker etc, so perhaps its role in selling global warming and its similar role in ignoring the population explosion may be lesser sins.

Bristol Congestion charge?

Builder & Engineer - "Bristol to go for congestion charge".

USA Roundup

New Jersey - "Toll cheats on Atlantic City Expressway turn criminal for some"   New Jersey - "Corzine to skip latest round of toll hike debate"   Indiana - "Taxpayers Shouldn't Have to Reimburse Foreign Company for Toll Road Use"   Florida - "Making sense of I-95 'express' lanes"   Washington State - "WA governor's debate is big on transportation"   New Jersey - "Poll: NJ residents oppose new toll hike plan"   New Jersey - "Corzine's toll plan a big loser in new poll"   Pennsylvania - "Lawmakers: Turnpike lease issue might not be dead"   Rhode Island - "E-ZPass triggers criticism"   Massachusetts - "Lawmakers want a gas tax".

Euro tolls
Last week the Transport Committee of the European Parliament apparently met to discuss tolls. We can't find any report on that, but here are the reports from two weeks ago when EU Ministers discussed them - Euractiv -"Transport ministers back optional road tolls".

Toll opposition

IOL - "Toll highway plans may have flouted the law".

Bit more on Humber Toll increase
From Scunthorpe Telegraph - "'Popular support needed to beat tolls'".

Opposition party says that it would remove tolls

Daily Yomiuri - "Ozawa talks big, but can he deliver?". As Japan is virtually a one party state this may not mean much, though the Goverment itself has just reduced the tolls.

Hauliers still complaining

HGV Ireland - "IRHA calls for meeting with Junior Minister".


Saturday 20 September 2008

USA Roundup

Other stories - "Mounting debt bring looming layoffs for Massachusetts toll collectors"   Pennsylvania - "Rendell considers increase in gas tax for roads"   Massachusetts - "Editorial: End of the road for toll takers"   Kansas - "Mileage tax coming?"   DC/ Virginia - "HOT Lanes Contract Negotiations Continue"   New Jersey - "GOP seeks veto to halt toll hikes".

Bit more on Humber Toll increase
From Scunthorpe Telegraph - "'Get on board to back the tolls battle'".

New toll road in Toll Land

Straits Times - "Relief at last, as KPE opens"   Straits Times - "KPE an engineering feat: PM". Strange that the ERP charges which are designed to discourage roads use are being applied to a brand new road. Also strange that after 10 years of ERP discouraging roads use "each car is making more trips".

Bit more on the "Cure" for 76 years of congestion

Independent Weekly - "Costly for the tagless to pass through".

Congestion charge census

Dorset Echo - "Drivers have to come to their census".

Rougher side of tolls

New Nation - "Transport leaders demand security".


Friday 19 September 2008

USA Roundup

Massachusetts - "Layoffs at Turnpike to save $10 million"   New Jersey / Pennsylvania - "DRPA Finally On Record About Funds"   New Jersey - "Tolls hikes won't do all they say"   New Hampshire - "GOP rival: Pignatelli broke vow on tolls"   Florida - "Come Monday, new toll lanes may cause confusion"   California - "Metro Reveals Their Priorities for HOT Lanes Funding"   Texas - "Question: Is North Texas asking too much of NTTA, and of tolling in general?"   Paul Mulshine in NJ Voices - "Corzine's tunnel plan is in deep trouble".

No tolls, please

Telegraph Journal - "Weston wants bridge debt forgiven, Zed says federal Tories won't listen". It may seem strange that a 40 year old bridge has remaining debt that is greater than the original cost, but in the world of the trolls that is the norm.

More on Humber Toll increase
From Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Tolls forcing woman out of job"   "Patients join bridge tolls campaign"   "Objections voiced to Parliament".

Feeding time

The Hankyoreh - "Beholden to the beast".


Thursday 18 September 2008

USA Roundup

Other stories - Land Line Mag - "Wyoming lawmaker pursues tolling for Interstate 80"   New Jersey - "Editorial: Best outcome without I-80 tolls Markosek's mission"   New Jersey / Pennsylvania - "Motorcyclists say they deserve toll break"   New Jersey / Pennsylvania - "Fatter bridge tolls soon to be spent"   Pennsylvania - "Roadblock to funding highways"   Florida - "Lee County to decide on I-75 funding"   Massachusetts - "Gov eyes ax for toll takers"   Florida - "Plan for Alligator Alley seems more a fleecing than a leasing"
Texas - "Toll Taxes mean: $1,600-2,000/yr average tax to drive in & out of Bulverde"   Texas - "Bulverde City Council needs to stand up against new toll taxes on residents"   Pennsylvania - "Problems Loom for Turnpike Lease"   New Jersey - "Local leaders express concern over planned toll hike".

Tory against C-charge

Evening Standard - "Boris must scrap this unjust charge".

New London

Evening Standard - "Tighten your seatbelts: the big spending days are over".

Private enterprise
We reported on the 10th that Nigeria was to reintroduce its corrupt tolls system, it seems that entrepreneurs have beaten them to it - allAfrica - "Nigeria: Touts Take Over Otukpo-Enugu Road Maintenance".

New bridge will not be tolled
When the last tolls were removed in Scotland the Government said that any new Forth Crossing would not be tolled. That statement was ignored by the trolls in the Scottish establishment who said that tolling was still a possibility. The Government have now made it clear that tolls will not make a comeback - Press & Journal - "Minister guarantees no toll charges on Forth crossing".

Irish Joke
While Scotland is toll free, its Celtic neighbour is proving what fun it is when Governments perpetuate a toll system that has dubious origins - Independent - "Drivers charged tolls for 'phantom' M50 trips".

Toll satellites progress

Transport Briefing -"Galileo opens first transport sat-nav data centre".

Another view on Salik tolls "success"
Yesterday the tolls bosses were saying how great the new system was. Gulf News today gives its view - "Problems persist on Dubai roads".

Tolls sell

Brisbane Times - "Charge for congestion, says expert".

"Man in upside down cost protest"

BBC.


Wednesday 17 September 2008

USA Roundup

Other stories - Pennsylvania - "Scarnati's no-I-80-tolls road plan"   Florida - "Alley lease hearing tonight". "Delaware Bridge cops want toll cheats' money, or their cars"   Florida - "Residents critical of Alligator Alley lease"   New York - "MTA wants on-duty Bravest and Finest to pay up as irate city cries foul"   Georgia - "Plan puts tolls on interstate HOV lanes".

"Cure" for 76 years of congestion

Daily Telegraph - "No more cash on Harbour Bridge". The bridge opened in 1932, and the current toll system is that they only have to be paid one way but with the complication that which side of the bridge that you pay the toll depends on which of the eight lanes you are in, with the added complication that there is tidal flow on three of the lanes. The story of the tolls on the bridge demonstrates the patience of Australian drivers and the greed of the trolls.

More on Humber Toll increase
From Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Bridge charge increase is A Toll Too Far"   "'It's outrageous the sick pay tolls'"   "Tolls are a barrier to business". From Grimsby Telegraph - "Join Telegraph campaign to halt bridge toll increase". From Nafferton Today - "High bridge tolls are damaging the region" letter to Ruth Kelly from the chairman of the local Leaders group.

Salik tolls "a success"

Gulf News - "RTA claims success with Salik gates".


Tuesday 16 September 2008

Cambridge Toll Sell

Hunts Post - "Cambridgeshire congestion will cost £700 per worker each year". What this story does not make clear is that the development agency who are pushing Cambridge "congestion charging" is in effect the Government, and the consultants - Steer, Davies, Gleave - in our opinion are the firm to pick if you want backing for tolls.

From the anti road party
The Lib Dem conference is today expected to support a plan to substantially increase vehicle excise duty on bigger cars and to toll all main roads with some reduction in fuel duty and abolition of vehicle excise duty - original Lib Dem press release (at least it was but they have removed the webpage)   Lib Dem policy paper (pdf).
An interesting idea to increase VED and then abolish it! It is also interesting that they say they will reduce fuel duty, but those who are worried that the Lib Dems are no longer green will be reassured that yesterday the Lib Dem Finance spokesman Vince Cable appeared to suggest that fuel taxes should be increased by 20 pence or so - Daily Mail - "LibDems want a 20p hike in fuel duty (so much for tax cuts then!)". Perhaps the 20 pence increase is to pay for the billions it would cost to implement and run a road pricing system!!!
PS Later items - replacement Lib Dem press release   Guardian - "Lib Dems back road-pricing despite fears of 'poll tax on wheels' accusations"   ePolitiX - "Lib Dem MP blasts ‘poll tax on wheels’".

Singapore tolls fantasy

Straits Times - "ERP gives commuters a choice". The best bit is probably the Minister saying that the tolls had "a positive effect" on retail sales in the tolled areas.

USA Roundup

Other stories - New York - "Ex-transit big sez MTA should buy bridges for $1; idea would raise millions, help congestion"   New York - "Bridging mta's gap - toll & commuter-tax ideas"   Pennsylvania - "PennDOT considering alternative fund options"   New Jersey - "Questioning the size of proposed toll increases"   New Jersey - "GOP lawmakers maneuver to block highway toll hikes"   Florida - "Editorial: State must keep Alligator Alley"   New York - "Congestion Pricing Is Popular Among Ideas To Boost MTA"   Land Line Mag - "Pennsylvania bill would fund road and bridge work without tolls, taxes"   New Jersey - "Lawmakers could veto toll hikes under GOP move".

Athens considers toll

Kathimerini - "Congestion charge mulled again".

More on Humber Toll increase

BBC - "Anger over bridge toll rise" video   Hull Daily Mail - "Call to oppose Humber Bridge toll hike"   Yorkshire Post - "Call to block Humber Bridge tolls increase".

Bit more on Tracking

FT - "Road pricing plan gathers speed".


Monday 15 September 2008

USA Roundup - Later stories

New Jersey - "Business Accepts Toll Hikes"   "Tolls Rise To Travel From NJ To Philly"   Delaware - "Toll violators' vehicles can now be impounded"   New Jersey - "Former transit chief testified toll funds would only be used for N.J.'s toll roads".

Who pays?

Reading Evening Post - "‘Liar’ row over congestion charge claim". If people from Reading and "Greater Reading" will not have to pay the toll, then who exactly are these people who are causing the congestion? Day trippers from Birmingham?

Tracking

Daily Mail - "Police cameras to track 50million cars a DAY - and keep details for up to five years"   Telegraph - "Drivers could face being charged for even shortest journeys".

In the country

Western Morning News - "Pay-to-drive 'a double blow'". The report issued by the Commission for Rural Communities - "Thinking about rural transport - The potential impacts of road pricing on rural areas".

Another broken promise?

Herald Sun - "Roads take bigger toll".

More Irish fun

Herald - "More headaches for M50 toll road users as fines sent in error".

New Order
In the modern capitalist system, the big gains go not to the owners of capital but to the people who "manage" the enterprises. The managers take (i.e. ignore) risks that in the short term will usually give the enterprise bigger returns and result in bigger salaries for managers. They do this even though they may effectively be betting the whole enterprise. In many cases managers ignore the risks because they have not got the intellect to understand them, but even where they do understand they take the risk anyway because it is not their money that is being risked. If all goes well then the potential bad outcomes will not happen. But when they do then either the firm goes bust or it is bailed out by the taxpayer. The latest firm where things have turned our bad is Lehman Brothers - BBC - "Lehman Bros files for bankruptcy".
Recently the investment bank was part of one of the groups bidding to buy Alligator Alley in Florida. The chances are that there will be more sales of toll roads to soak up some of the money that is being spewn out by central banks, but that there will be even bigger guarantees from the suckers (everyone who is not a "manager") to minimise the risks to bonuses of managers. Drivers will increasingly be herded on to tolled roads and milked dry.

USA Roundup

Other stories - New Jersey - "Turnpike toll hike"   Florida - "Privatizing roads like Alligator Alley at odds with long-term public interest" letter   New Jersey - "Kolluri did 180 on tolls for tunnel"   New Jersey - "Lawmakers, drivers vent over Garden State Parkway, Atlantic City Expressway toll hikes"   Florida - "Crist leasing Alligatory Alley sells us short for decades"   New Jersey- "Toll-increase rationale has some holes"   "Wyoming considers tolls on I-80".


Saturday 13 September 2008

USA Roundup