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TOLLS NEWS, CONGESTION CHARGE NEWS, ROAD PRICING NEWS

Hull Daily Mail - "Humber Bridge toll could rise to £3: Proposal blasted by businesses" comments   Scunthorpe Telegraph - "Humber Bridge Board consider hiking tolls by 11 per cent" POLL.
The ABD have set up a poll on the proposal to use a tagging system for payment of tolls - (poll is part way down on the right).

No tolls go slow, but not yet abandoned

Daily Yomiuri - "Plan to ax expwy tolls hits major pothole"   Nikkei - "Toll-Free Highways May Be Postponed A Year: Maehara".

Hong Kong tolls increase

HK Gov - "Western Harbour Tunnel tolls to rise".

More sound and fury signifying nothing

South Wales Argus - "Taxpayers foot £18 million Severn Bridge bill"   Western Mail - "Public funds have paid for £18m Severn Bridge repairs".
This complaint is another indication that Welsh Assembly members either don't know anything about highway finances or that they don't care about the users of the Severn bridge. The UK Government is not only taking a fortune every day from drivers, it is also getting as VAT nearly a sixth of the bridge tolls. If this £18 million had been kept as bridge costs, then it would have meant that the day when the tolls should be free would move even further away.

Jakarta pushing harder for a Con

Berita Jakarta - "City Urges Transportation Ministry to Soon Issue ERP-Related Regulations".

Congestion will be of Olympian size

Evening Standard - "Councils seek to limit VIP lanes for 2012 Games".

Bit more on possible changes at Dartford

Bexley Times - "MP supports fight to get Toll tunnel barrier lifted during rush hour congestion times".

Trolls come out to play

The Scottish Government has issued - "Report of Scotland's Independent Budget Review Panel" inc links to reports, produced by the body set up to advise on savings. The report recommends among other measures - "that the Scottish Government should consider the feasibility of adopting road user charging as a means to both better managing the use of existing transport networks and financing improvements to those networks."
The chair of the group has also said that - "You might be able to make some of it (the deficit) up if you pull it back on other free services, for example, by reintroducing bridge tolls." - Telegraph "Keeping free personal care will mean mass redundancies, warns budget review chief".
The CBI and the "Scottish Futures Trust" (a Quango) seem to be the ones who are pushing for tolls. Reintroducing all the four bridge tolls at their former level would raise the almost invisible amount of about 30 million pounds against the amount of nearly two billion pounds that the Scottish Government will have to save in 2011. Either the panel were ignorant of this or they are looking at the loot that can be gained from the widespread use of tolling.

AGW

On Wednesday the NOAA issued this report - "State of the Climate in 2009". The Met Office released this - "Unmistakable signs of a warming world". But despite the overwhelming evidence that it is getting hotter, there was not much reporting of it - Independent (Thursday) - "A clear picture of accelerated warming that shows no sign of levelling off".
Could it be that there are still people who believe that it is not getting hotter?
PS Looking at is quite entertaining. The first thing that hits you about the NOAA report is that it is more like advertising than science. Amongst the puzzles is why based on their graphs was there almost no rise in temperature between 1930 and 1980?


Thursday 29 July 2010

Tamest drivers in the world?

According to the Government, 92 per cent of drivers support tolling of a new road - Bay of Plenty Times - "Local motorists face new $2 toll".

Mañana

Drivers could be waiting a long time for this promise to be met - Newsroom Panama - "Panama’s president promises toll free corridors".

Truckers say that tolls are too high

Deccan Chronicle - "Truckers want toll panel, on strike from August 1".

Bit more on the new toll push

Westmeath Examiner - "Tolls proposal is ‘nonsense’ - Burke".

AGW

A couple of sceptical stories - Canada Free Press - "Muir Russell Findings No Solace for U.S. EPA"   Dakota Voice - "Liberal Environmentalist Pans Global Warming".


Wednesday 28 July 2010

USA Roundup

Some of the many reports on the latest DRPA relevations - Courier -Post - "DRPA official quits in wake of E-ZPass revelation"   Examiner - "Port Authorigate: DiCicco calls for investigation"   Philadelphia Inquirer - "The bandwagon gets crowded in calls for DRPA reform" video and comments   NBC - "DRPA Director Resigns After Abusing Free Tolls"   Philly - "DRPA security chief resigns" comments   Courier-Post - "DRPA official resigns after revelation about E-ZPass abuse" comments   Fox - "DRPA Official Caught With E-ZPass Quits" video.

Bit more on Judgement of Solomon

Scunthorpe Telegraph - "We should not have to choose between road upgrades and axing of tolls" another POLL.

Toll reduction

Asia One - "Lower toll charges at second link".
It seems that they want to attract traffic from the congested alternative crossing, though if they wanted to reduce congestion, it would have been better to remove all the tolls.

Not popular

Vanguard - "Unending controversy over tolls on Lekki-Epe Expressway".

Old Lady confirms that Bank will encourage inflation

BBC - "Bank of England governor hints rates will stay low"   BofE - "Treasury Committee Opening Statement: Wednesday 28 July 2010: Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England" pdf.

More Government waste

DfT - "Green light to ultra low carbon car consumer incentive".
If the DfT is "green" enough to fall for the idea of giving five thousand pounds to people who buy an "ultra-low carbon ca", then what else will they fall for? Or are they assuming that even with the handout, only a few drivers will buy them?.

Interesting transport site

This site has some interesting analysis of transport issues, albeit that it is not from a driver's viewpoint - Transport Policy.


Tuesday 27 July 2010

America builds them cheaper

A new Mississippi bridge linking Arkansas and Mississippi - Ashley County Ledger - "Ceremony Marks Dedication of New Bridge over the Mississippi"   Wikipedia - "Greenville Bridge".
This story highlights the usual pattern. Toll free bridges in America are built at about a quarter of the price that would apply in Britain. Why?

Spain wants a border toll at Gibraltar

Gibraltar Chronicle - "Sanchez Insists On ‘congestion Charge’ For Cars Entering Gib".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - New Jersey / Pennsylvania - "Delaware River Port Authority chairman may end free tolls, rides for managers"   New Jersey / Pennsylvania - "DRPA faces more calls to reform"   Illinois - "Kane nearer to approving Longmeadow toll bridge"   Denver - "E-470 aims to be "kinder, gentler" with overdue payments"   California - "Congestion pricing goes up for discussion".

Bit more on the new toll push by the mischievous Leprechauns, and a new toll opens

Irish Examiner - "Dempsey: No tolls on national routes 'anytime soon'"   Limerick Leader - "'Historic' day as new Limerick Tunnel is opened by Taoiseach".

Revival of Greenwich Con proposal

Docklands 24 - "Environmental group proposes Greenwich congestion charge".

Pay or else

Daily Independent - "Check Police Extortion On College Road".

Bit more on possible Jakarta Con

Jakarta Globe - "‘Restrictions Needed’ to Relieve Traffic".

Transport Committee invite submissions

Parliament - "New inquiry - Transport and the economy".
The invite refers to the December 2006 report from Sir Rod Eddington. Perhaps he found Britain a bit chilly as no sooner had he signed his name on the recommendations for road pricing, than he jetted back home to Australia.

Sec of State has job interview

Yesterday the Transport Committee interviewed Philip Hammond - the Secretary of State for Transport. We have not listened to what was said, but it's all here - BBC.

Bit more on possible changes at Dartford

Kent Online - "Dartford Crossing barriers could be lifted in worst congestion".

"End of the war on motorists? You'll be lucky"

Richard Littlejohn in the Daily Mail.

America two, Britain nil

Meanwhile, the greens also join in the fun of bashing Britain's biggest company (or it was!) - BBC - "Greenpeace activists close down BP stations in London".

PM pushing for gates to be opened wider

BBC - "Cameron 'anger' at slow pace of Turkish EU negotiations".
Turkey's population grows at the net rate of one million people a year. And if Turkey is added to the list of countries that have unfettered migration to our already congested island, then "logic" will dictate that other Asian countries are also admitted.

AGW

According to a report produced for the NRDC (part of the Green establishment)- "As global warming accelerates, the world will become not only hotter, flatter, and more crowded but also thirsty" - Energy Collective - "U.S. faces climate change-driven water shortages inc link to report". It seems that Cole Porter got it wrong when he said that "it's too darn hot"! AGW will not only increase the population, the extra weight will also flatten the Earth.


Monday 26 July 2010

Ghana's drivers to pay extra fuel tax as well as tolls

Peace FM - "Road Fund Wants Increase In Fuel Levy".

Jakarta still planning to have a Con

Berita Jakarta - "City to Review ERP to Overcome Traffic Problem".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - New Jersey / Pennsylvania - "At the DRPA, do away with perks"   New Jersey / Pennsylvania - "Ar DRPA, livin' is E-Z for some"   Texas - "Toll road to improve truck movement near port"   South Carolina - "Don't count on highway tolls"   "Pennsylvania Turnpike takes heat for driving up tolls"   California - "Calexico Border Tolls: Business Reaction".

Oregon / Washington State - "Toll lessons learned after the election"   Florida - "Cape Coral wants traffic enforcement at Midpoint tollbooth site"   Indiana / Kentucky - "Proposed Ohio River bridge toll is comparable to others"   Texas - "Tollway agency works to restore confidence".

Judgement of Solomon

Grimsby Telegraph - "Area asked to decide between axing Humber Bridge tolls and improving roads" POLL   Scunthorpe Telegraph - "North Lincolnshire must choose between Humber Bridge tolls and road upgrades" POLL   Scunthorpe Telegraph - "North Lincolnshire politicians react to Phil Hammond's announcement"   Hull Daily Mail - "'It's road improvements or no bridge tolls' – transport secretary warns of tough choices".
Despite the newspaper polls, the local people will not have their say. If they did, then it is difficult to forecast what the result would be, as those who don't use the bridge would probably opt for the money to be spent on something else. Only a very few drivers will be aware that they are paying about ten times as much in taxes as is spent on the roads, and that they should have both better roads and no tolls.
Presumably the Secretary of State has no intention of removing the tolls, though as the tolls in 2009/10 were £21 million (the net income will be about £3 million less), it would probably be the cheaper spending option for the Government.

Suggestion that the A14 road scheme will be tolled

Hunts Post - "Choices for the A14".

Lib Dem supports latest toll touting
Lib Dem Voice - "Motorway tolls – a step on the road to a progressive, green and Liberal Britain".

More on the new toll push by the mischievous Leprechauns

Independent - "Roads: Coalition plans new wave of tolls to raise €100m"   Irish Times - "New tolls on M50 and M9 being considered"   Irish Examiner - "Coalition under fire for ‘absurd’ toll road idea"   tv3 - "Gormley proposes new tolls" video.

TfL toll trap

Evening Standard - "London traffic camera's £2m fines in three months"   Mail - "The £2m traffic camera which has snared 16,123 drivers in three months"   Autoblog - "Temporary traffic camera nets £2m in three months".

Repairs brought forward

Henley Standard - "Bridge repairs fast-tracked".

Vietnamese drivers to pay fuel tax as well as tolls

ThanHinien News - "Road maintenance fees will increase toll on public: lawmakers".

Billionaire fighting to keep border tolls monopoly

WSJ - "At Canadian Border, a Bridge to Prosperity".

More on Lagos toll dispute

Compass - "'We are opposed to slavery'".

Steering towards more inflation and another financial crisis

BBC - "UK interest rates to stay at record low 'until 2014'"   BBC - "Cable looks to boost lending by bank".

AGW

One of the people who does believe the figures is a Nobel prize winning economist - NY Times - "Who Cooked the Planet?". He should be in for another Nobel prize at this rate!


Saturday 24 July 2010

AGW

There has been a lot more reaction to the American anti-Carbon legislation slowing, including this - Time - "Cap and Trade is Dead (Really, Truly, I'm Not Kidding). Who's to Blame?" lot of comments   Washington Post - "Kerry Says Broad Climate-Change Bill Is `Not Dead'" video.


Friday 23 July 2010

M6 Toll traffic up

One driver recently sent us a copy of a long complaint they made to the Highways Agency. He points out to them that he has been travelling between Manchester and the South Coast for over 20 years, frequently at night. He is often caught out at the points where you have to leave the motorway to avoid the Toll. This is a small part of his letter -
"My complaint concerns the design of the entry into the toll road, in that it is entered by default, rather than the result of a conscious decision to do so. Bearing in mind that this is a toll road, this is unfair, unjust and potentially even illegal ..... I often miss the detour to avoid the tolls and inadvertantly enter the toll road. This is because I am concentrating my efforts on DRIVING SAFELY (ie: keeping my distance, driving at an appropriate speed, being aware of my driving environment as far ahead and as far behind me as possible and the driving conditions) instead of tiring my mind by reading each and every irrelevant blue motorway sign we are bombarded with.
I feel taken advantage of because we enter the toll road by default rather than by conscious decision, it should be the other way round. The situation is scandalous and because it is tricking unwitting drivers in to using the toll road. I urge you to get the entry to M6 toll re-constructed so that we can only enter from a conscious decision to do so, that is, by the willful action of exitting from the M6." This is part of the Highways Agency reply -
"..The road was intended to be toll free to use. The design at that time was for a through route that would bypass Birmingham and the Black Country providing relief to the M6. The intention was that traffic for Birmingham and Black Country destinations would turn off the through route to continue on the M6 to the appropriate junction. This is why drivers now have to turn off to continue on the M6.
(Later it was decided it would be a toll road). When it was being designed it was agreed that it should be signed in the same way as any other motorway. All primamry destinations are therefore signed down M6 Toll, regardless of journey length. Such signs are for the guidance of users from outside the local area. To accord with the national traffic signing policy, motorists who are new to the area are directed down the safest, quickest and most direct route. One of the purposes of this it to relieve unsuitable roads from through traffic." Which road is the main route and which is a turn off should depend on which road will carry the most traffic - in this case a far greater proportion takes the non toll route, but has to turn off to do so. (If the two roads had been expected to be of approximately equal importance then you would have had the road splitting with a lot of advance warning so that drivers took the appropriate fork.)
Part of the arrangement for toll roads like this is that the authorities agree to "funnel" traffic away from free alternatives, by the design of junctions and the signage. If they were more neutral then the M6 Toll would have even less customers!

More toll pushing by the mischievous Leprechauns

RTE News - "Group identifies €500m in local govt savings" inc link to report.

Economy still moving back up

BBC - "UK economic growth jumps to 1.1%"   ONS - "Gross domestic product preliminary estimate: 2nd Quarter 2010".

AGW

While the Earth, according to those who control the figures, is at record high temperatures, it seems that South America is somehow outside the area setting these records - Accu Weather - "South America Cold Wave Brings Rare Snow, Freezing Deaths".


Thursday 22 July 2010

Suggestion that Open-road tolling will fail

IoL - "Why open-road tolling won't work".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Pennsylvania - "Board supports Route 422 master plan, but not tolling"   Virginia - "Drivers cited on HOV awareness day"   Texas - "Our Opinion: Border toll is a bad idea with no good explanation"   Land Line Mag - "‘Say no’ to toll proposal in Louisville".

Greek toll protest

Ana-Mpa - "Consumer group urges motorists to refuse toll payments on sub-standard roads".

Vehicle production up

BBC - "UK car production up sharply in June"   SMMT - "UK automotive production figures June 2010".
As we usually point out, most vehicles made in Britain are exported (over 70%), and the overwhelming majority of cars on British roads are imports.

More robbery

Drivers who use the Tyne Tunnel are already paying tolls that are far more than the cost of the tunnel, and they are now to also hand over £6 million for free pedestrian and cycle tunnels that are usually empty - BBC - "Tyne pedestrian tunnel funding approved"   News Guardian - "£6m investment improved for historic tunnels".
This is another demonstration of how weak drivers are and of how they are held in contempt.

Bonfire?

BBC - "Dartford charge suspension considered at busy times"   Kent News - "Dartford crossing toll booths could be taken out".
If the booths are removed, it is likely that they will be replaced with a test of whether British drivers are cowed enough to comply with open road tolling.
It would be an innovation in Britain if tolls were to be suspended because of exceptional dealys. This sometimes happens in America, but in Brritain up to now the authorities have not done it as it would make it even clearer that tolls delay traffic. This reached an extreme a few years ago in a Liverpool toll tunnel when cars that had to turn back because of a fire were expected to pay a toll to get in and another toll to get out!

Bit more on Severn tolls review and FTA claim the credit for it

Western Mail - "MPs to examine Severn road tolls"   MHW - "Freight Transport Association FTA asks government extend Severn crossing study to England".

York Con survey

A York councillor complains that a survey whivch showed that people rejected a Con charge, did not give enough choice over ways of reducing congestion - The Press - "York transport chief Steve Galloway claims traffic survey was ‘flawed’".

View against tag system being changed to spy in the sky

Asia One - "Satellite ERP may not be effective".
The writer of the letter is correct in a lot of what they say, but they don't seem to understand the effect that the existing tag system does or does not have. The system may effect drivers at a micro level, i.e. should I try and avoid going through this gantry right now. But the system seems to have no effect at the macro level - though Singapore is less than half the size of London, the average car is driven 12,500 miles a year.

Dispute over who has right to tolls, and a bit more on VAT on tolls

Manila Times - "Motorists told to brace for increase in toll"   Business Mirror - "JPE vows to block ‘illegal’ VAT on toll"   Business Mirror - "Why VAT on toll is wrong"   Manila Standard - "VAT to be imposed on toll starting August 16"   Sun Star - "Palace: Aquino did not break promise on tax".

Trolls back in Montreal

Montreal Gazette - "WLaval's Highway 25 toll bridge '85 per cent complete'".

Grey future

BBC - "Bernanke: US economy faces 'uncertain' time"   CNN - "Bernanke: Recovery 'unusually uncertain'"   NY Times - "No Fed Plans to Give More Support, Bernanke Says".
The semi annuual statement to Congress attacted a lot less attention in the USA than it did elsewhere in the world. Perhaps because the rest of the World is relying on America to keep consuming. The Fed Reserve will not care about the rest of the world, but domestic pressures may force them to print more money - a bit like downing a pint of bourbon to cure a hangover.

AGW

Various papers are still reporting NOAA claim that last month was the hottest June ever - LA Times - "You can't explain away climate change: Some hold that global warming stopped in 1998, but scientists know better".
As we have previously reported the NOAA deviate from the GISS figures. It is puzzling why there is not more co-ordination between the NOAA and GISS so that they are at least publishing their doctored figures so that they tell the same story.


Wednesday 21 July 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - "Pennsylvania Turnpike approves toll increase for E-ZPass"   Alabama - "Majority of Jeffco Commission against Grant’s Mill Road toll idea"   New Jersey / Pennsylvania - "It’s Time to Clean House at the DRPA"   New Jersey / Pennsylvania - "Editorial: DRPA's muddy waters"   Illinois - "Chicago inching closer to freeway congestion charges?" comments   Maryland - "Couple's E-ZPass Fees Balloon Into Thousands"   Utah - "Tag, you’re it — for I-15’s express lanes".

Inquiry into Severn tolls

The Welsh Affairs Select Cttee are to look at Severn tolls and have invited evidence to be submitted to them - Parliament - "Severn crossing toll"   South Wales Argus - "Commons committee to probe Severn Crossings tolls".

Still one anti-inflation renegade

BBC - "Bank of England member votes again for bank rate rise"   BofE - "Minutes Of The Monetary Policy Committee Meeting: 7 And 8 July 2010" pdf.

Dutch tolls doubt

Following last month's elections, the various parties in the Netherlands are still having difficulty in forming a new coalition. It is reported that one of the main stumbling blocks is the different views on whether the Dutch pay per kilometre plans should go ahead.

Bit more on - New European rules to promote higher tolls move nearer

Road Transport - "EU’s Belgian presidency resurrects Euro-wide road-charging directive".

VAT on tolls to start soon

News Info - "VAT on toll fees to start Aug. 16".

"Barack" and "Dave" show

BBC - "David Cameron faces a history of complexity on US trip"   CNN - "British PM says he understands the anger 'across America' for BP"   ABC - "British PM David Cameron Says He'll Cooperate With U.S. Hearing into Lockerbie Bomber Release".
Is the President being so friendly to the PM because they wear the same blue ties, or is that the PM can be relied upon not to support BP and to support America's opposition to the release of the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing?


Tuesday 20 July 2010

Looking good for house prices
The Old Lady will be pleased today, it's aim of creating inflation, particularly of house prices, seems to be on course, as it was announced today by the Council of Mortgage Lenders, that gross mortgage lending for June was up by 15 per cent to £13 billion. Unfortunately for the real economy it seems that this is at the expense of the rest of the economy as overall money supply growth for June was negative. - BofE - "Provisional estimates of broad money (M4) and credit (M4 lending): June 2010" pdf.

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - New Jersey / Pennsylvania - "DRPA commissioner John J. "Doc" Dougherty questions board's practices"   Utah - "UDOT Express Lanes tags will collect tolls"   Illinois - "Don't use tolls to pay for bridge" letter.

Florida - "Orange hopefuls want to roll back toll hike"   Texas - "TxDot: Not all drivers are being billed on toll roads" video   Washington State - "Tolls considered for SR 167"   Land Line Mag - "California bill clears path for toll lanes on 91 Freeway".

Government debt a bit higher than forecast
BBC - "UK public sector borrowing worse than expected"   ONS - "Public sector finances June 2010" pdf.

Bit more on - Toll touts on the rampage again
Express - "Anger Over Pay Scheme For Motorways".

More on - Rickshaw drivers protest against tolls

Daily Star - "Barricade on Buriganga bridge for toll withdrawal"   Financial Express - "Traffic movements on 2nd Buriganga Bridge blocked".

Truckers avoiding tolls if they can

In the case of a possible new toll tunnel at Melbourne they have considered this issue and say that "there would be “requirements” on the industry to use the tunnel, including increasing truck bans on surrounding roads" - Maribyrnong Leader - "Toll option in Footscray tunnel plan".

No to Con

On Sunday, Tony Abbot, the leader of the Liberal Opposition, was asked whether there would be a "Congestion charge" (as proposed by Ken Henry the Treasury Secretary) introduced if they came to power, he said "There absolutely won't be one".

Bashing savers
Yesterday the Government showed that it has as little concern for savers as the last Government had. The "Big Society" relaunch includes a plan to seize balances in dormant savings accounts to fund handouts to local groups such as those that might want the cash for "a local buy-out of a rural pub". The Government also announced that it would close the issue of savings certificates which pay out a fabulous one per cent above inflation (on maximum savings of £15,000), as it was "too popular" - BBC - "Inflation-linked savings certificates cut by NS&I".

Doubts over cuts
BBC - "Whitehall 'unlikely to meet' £35bn cuts target".
If the last lot of Labour cuts are doubtful, then the further "efficiency savings" planned by the Coalition are even more doubtful. If the Government is to really cut expenditure then it will have to cancel whole programmes, which will politically be very difficult.

Another Quango
BBC - "Tax system 'to be simplified to encourage investment'".
If the Government wants to simplify taxes it does not need to set up an "Office for Tax Simplification". It should just scrap those taxes (incuding tolls) which are uneconomic and expensive to collect as well as being unfair. For those taxes that are kept, it should remove the numerous exemptions and loopholes and use some of the proceeds to reduce tax rates.

AGW

The Foundation that some believe rules the world, now has a website. It includes - a brief note on what they were to discuss at their last meeting. The puzzle is why "Global Cooling" is shown as a problem.


Monday 19 July 2010

Bit more on - Toll touts on the rampage again
BBC - "UK 'must accelerate' on low-carbon road"   Committee on Climate Change - "Building a low-carbon economy - the UK's innovation challenge" links to report etc.
Though the BBC have linked the report of the Committee on Climate Change (a quango) to Tim Yeo's tolls push, the Committee don't mention tolls in any guise. The main thing that they are pushing on the transport side is having 1.7 million electic vehicles by 2020.

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - California - "An Unintended Consequence of Peak Pricing"   Illinois - "New Tollway chief looking ahead"   Illinois - "Congestion pricing idea deserves a closer look" few comments   Texas - "Tollway agency acknowledges camera problems, vows to boost billing"   California - "Plan calls for tolls"   Pennsylvania - "Ask not for whom the turnpike tolls; just prepare to pay".

Washington State - "Tolls considered for SR 167"   Pennsylvania - "Route 422 plan sparks talk of tolls, jobs, traffic"   Washington State - "Narrows bridge toll might not change until 2012"   West Virginia - "Tolls on U.S. 35 likely route for project to take" comments   Texas - "Tollway 'feasible' as mobility authority seeks better credit" comments.

Rickshaw drivers protest against tolls

BdNews24 - "Traffic on 2nd Buriganga bridge resumes".

Firm that auctions deliveries says that it can reduce road congestion

PRFire - "Most Delivery Vehicles Half Empty Says Courier Services Company".

Marching up and down the hill at the same time
BBC - "David Cameron to launch Tories' 'big society' plan"   BBC - "Environment quangos to be cut, says Caroline Spelman".
The original and most common translation of "Quango" is a quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation, i.e. a body which is independent of government but which is mainly funded by them. Quangoes have various advantages to politicians - they can deny responsibility if things go wring, it gives them patronage and the bodies can be more political than the civil service. At the same time, politicians often attack Quangoes as a waste of money, particularly if they were set up by a previous administration. What David Cameron is now proposing is in effect the devolution of public functions to tens of thousands of quangoes. This will inevitably mean even more waste and corruption and even the spending of public money on what not should be public functions - such as "a local buy-out of a rural pub".

Toll touts on the rampage again
The farmer MP who at one time was the Tory Transport spokesman and is currently chair of the Energy and Climate Change Committee is calling again for tolling and privatising main roads, as well as other measures including "personal carbon trading" to fight the Carbon peril - PA - "Pay-as-you-drive scheme urged by MP"   Telegraph - "Privatise roads to meet green pledges, MP tells Cameron"   Telegraph - "Tim Yeo: More radical steps are needed to tackle climate change".
He says that "We must decarbonise our transport system by improving the incentives for hybrid, electric and other low emission cars, vans and trucks, and by introducing road pricing on our motorways.". He also says that the road tolls could pay for "immediate development of high speed rail .. (and) .. a cut in fuel duty". Perhaps one day the trolls will treat us to a rational explanation on how cutting fuel duty will reduce the Cabon emissions that they claim is their biggest worry.
PS Later report - Politics - "Road pricing on the way? ".

Bashing bankers

The politicians have been competing with each other as to who can propose the highest tax on banks, and we now have the Business Secretary returning to the theme of banks ripping off their customers and not lending enough money - BBC - "Vince Cable: Banks continue to rip customers off".
The Government's actions could almost be aimed at producing another banking crisis. The last one was caused by low interest rates, over lending and only nominal financial regulation. We still have those and we also have the possibility of a double dip recession caused by public spending cuts. If the Government wants to stop the ship from sinking, then it should scrap the extra taxes on banks and instead substantially increased the capital requirements for banks. It would also help if it introduced real regulation and stopped badgering the banks to lend more to individuals and firms that are high risk.

AGW

GW Policy Foundation - "US Government Halts Funds For Climate Unit". As the Administration are firm believers, this is probably more a case of Anglophobia than any backpedalling on AGW.


Sunday 18 July 2010

AGW

On Monday we reported that GISS had published the latest Earth's temperature "anomaly", which showed that last month was the joint third hottest June since 1880. (For the reasons that are widely known - particularly to those who follow What's Up With That? - GISS, NOAA and CRU to a large extent use the same biased and unreliable adjusted figures, but we quote them as there is nothing else available.) There have since been reports on these latest figures including - NOAA press release on Thursday - "June, April to June, and Year-to-Date Global Temperatures are Warmest on Record"   Guardian on Friday - "Last month was the hottest June recorded worldwide, figures show"   The Hill on Friday - "Markey, citing LeBron James, says warming supports climate bill".

You may notice that June is being described as the hottest rather than the joint third hottest as we described it. The figures that we quote are from the "Combined Land-Surface Air and Sea-Surface Water Temperature Anomalies (Land-Ocean Temperature Index, LOTI)". In part NOAA get different answers by using a data subset which only includes Land temperatures, (which using GISS data would make June 2010 the joint highest with June 1998). In part NOAA publish different figures from those published by GISS. The NOAA figures go to an even more spurious level of precision (four decimal places, instead of two) and use a different base 1901 -2000 (GISS use 1951 to 1980). But on top of these presentation differences, the NOAA give slightly different anomalies e.g. the relative anomaly on GISS for Land and Sea temperatures comparing June 1998 with June 2010 is minus 0.10 degrees Celsius, but on NOAA it is plus 0.0356 degrees Celsius.

There is no way of knowing whether it is really getting warmer or not. But if it isn't then the people who produce these figures will eventually get their comeuppance. One sign that this may be starting to happen is the part of the Guardian story which says that "Scientists expressed surprise that the June land surface temperature exceeded the previous record by 0.11C". One reason that scientists may be sceptical is that they have seen the GISS published data and know that it does not support the NOAA press releases, another possible reason is that they may be shivering.


Saturday 17 July 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Phoenix - "Pa. Turnpike travelers will see a 3 percent toll increase"   Land Line Mag - "Truckers favor off-peak deliveries in NYC'"   Florida - "New toll system to start this weekend" video.

More Science fiction

Telegraph - "Are electric cars ready to transform Britain’s motoring in the Age of Energy?".
The story says that "There's little doubt that electric vehicles will play an important role in the Age of Energy, eradicating emissions at street level at the same time as cutting costs for motorists." But if these cars are ever used in significant numbers then the massive subsidies and the tax and toll exemptions will disappear.

Toll increase

Times of India - "Elevated expressway ride to cost double now".

More Government "saving"

BBC - "Minister Jeremy Hunt says licence fee 'could be cut'".
Rather than reduce the licence fee, it might be better to cut the amount going to the profligate BBC, and give the difference to help other producers of TV programmes and films made in Britain.
Alternatively, they could scrap the TV licence completely and any money for the BBC could come from either a system of Pay TV or taxes or a mix of both.

AGW

We have been looking out for the DEFRA sponsored report on rising sea levels which was a story on Thursday. The DEFRA website still does not mention it, neither does their - UK Climate Projections website. Anyone who wants to see what the claimed changes in past sea levels (since 1914) have been is referred to the Met Office site who appear to have hidden the data under a rock.


Friday 16 July 2010

New European rules to promote higher tolls move nearer

EuroPolitics - "Eurovignette 'light' on horizon".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Louisiana - "State seeks backup plan if Crescent City Connection tolls lapse" comments   Florida - "Rental car toll charges" video.

One complaint about subsidy to toll company

My Kawartha - "Why are Ontario taxpayers paying for this private toll road extension?".
The 407 is owned by one of the Australian trolls, but the Canadian Pension system wants to buy a bit of it back - Financial Post - "407 ETR right speed for CPP board".

Toll operator making money

Business Spectator - "Intoll sees revenue surge in June qtr".
One reason that Intoll is doing well is that all the sick toll roads - including the M6 Toll - have been dumped into a separate company - Macquarie Atlas Roads.

A slap over the wrists

BBC - "Goldman Sachs agrees record $550m fine". In America, the story was buried in the business pages - CNN - "Goldman settles with SEC for $550 million".
The American court ordering that RBS is reimbused an amount less than it was scammed out of contrasts with the twenty billion that President Obama browbeated out of BP as a down payment for compensation to Americans.

For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance

The various shades of green are pushing hard for the Western extension of the Con to remain. The deadline for responses to the latest consultation is Monday 2 August.

Government "savings"

BBC - "NHS sets £1.7bn aside for reform".
This initial cost - of handing power over nearly all NHS money to GPs - is just the tip of the iceberg. Either there will be waste and corruption on a massive scale, or there will have to be a new bureaucracy set up to try and contain errant GPs.

Another Government "saving"

BBC - "Free bus pass age rise may be sped up amid budget cuts".
The Government has to save money, but this idea seems particularly bad. Free bus travel has a major effect on the finances of bus companies as it generates income at a time of day when the buses would be underused (whether on the road or waiting at the garage for the next peak). It also encourages older people to travel by bus rather than by car (or staying at home), this has a small beneficial effect on road (and car parking) congestion and it increases social interaction.

AGW

Thin air dissapears - Space Daily - "A Puzzling Collapse Of Earth's Upper Atmosphere".
We ignored this story when it first appeared a few weeks ago, as it displays various enigmas which are hard to grasp. The "thermosphere" which "collapsed" contains the hottest molecules (because nothing shields them from the Sun) but is also the coldest part of the atmosphere because it is so thin. Best of all, it is said that the thermosphere is cooling because of AGW!
Though the Solar Minimum is over, the Sun is struggling to climb back up - NWRA - "Cycle 23/24 Effective Sunspot Number".
The AGW lobby used to say that the Sun's activity had no affect on temperatures, more recently they have been saying that if it does then it proves that AGW exists as otherwise the Earth would be cooling due to the Minimum. As the AGW lobby control the temperature measurements we can't be sure what has been happening with temperatures. One of the minority of scientists who believe in the significance of the Sun on temperature is Cees de Jager - Journal of Cosmology: June 2010 - "The Forthcoming Grand Minimum of Solar Activity".


Thursday 15 July 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Pennsylvania - "Pa. Turnpike Approves 10 Percent Toll Increases For 2011"   Pennsylvania - "Pennsylvania Turnpike will charge more for paying with cash"   Pennsylvania - "Turning Route 422 into a toll road is ridiculous"   California - "FasTrak sales jump with toll increase"   Land Line Mag - "Truckers oppose congestion tolls on Chicago roadways"   Illinois - "Congestion Pricing Coming to Chicago?"   Georgia - "I-75 toll project needs big tax money and tolls, too"   Indiana - "Task force considering 'pay-to-drive' interstate lanes" video.

Tolls temporarily lifted

Transport Topics - "Mexico to Reopen Monterrey-Laredo Toll Road to Trucks Only".

New set of prefects

Parliament - "Membership of Transport Committee confirmed".
Still on the committee are - Louise Ellman (chairman, Labour), John Leech (Lib Dem) and Angela Smith (Labour).
Old boys no longer on the committee are - David Clelland (Labour), Sammy Wilson(DUP), Philip Hollobone (Tory), Eric Martlew (Labour), Mark Pritchard (Tory), Peter Soulsby (Labour), Graham Stringer (Labour), David Wilshire (Tory).
New boys are - Angie Bray (Tory), Lilian Greenwood (Labour), Tom Harris (Labour), Kelvin Hopkins (Labour), Kwasi Kwarteng (Tory), Paul Maynard (Tory), Iain Stewart (Tory) and Julian Sturdy (Tory).
Membership of the committee usually seems to be MPs that believe that train users should be rewarded and road users penalised. Two exceptions on the old committee were Sammy Wilson and Graham Stringer. One of the new members who may not want to send all drivers to gaol is Angie Bray who was prominent in the opposition to the Western extension of the Con.
The committee are kicking off with a grilling of Philip Hammond - the Secretary of State for Transport - at 4 PM on Monday 26th. We advise that if he wants to leave the committee room intact, then he should turn up with bicycle clips on his trouser bottoms and a train ticket behind his ear.

More AGW

Attack on Britain's next head of state - Spectator - "Frankly, more sense is spoken by his plants".

More fog from the Con batallions

Guardian - "New congestion charge plans 'will make London pollution worse'".
The campaigners are correct to point out the harm caused by Pm10s from diesels, which will be favoured by the Con exemptions for vehicles that produce less CO2. But the Mayor is only following the Green road by treating CO2 as a poisonous gas and ignoring the real pollution from motor vehicles - a problem that is not affected by whether a particular vehicle has to pay a Con charge or not.
As for PM10s, though serious, according to the official figures, cars (engines, brake linings and tyres) are responsible for about 8% of them, so perhaps those who are concerned about air quality should forget the Con and start worrying about the other 92%.

Toll pushing

Toronto Star - "How to sell toll message: appeal to emotion, youth"   National Post - "Toronto needs ‘bold’ solution to gridlock problem: roundtable"   Vancouver Sun - "Evergreen Line promise comes with funding gap: Fuel taxes, road tolls may be the $600-million solution"   CTV - "Golden Ears Bridge traffic up, but so are tolls".

Trucks avoiding tolls, even some that are not there

Meath Chronicle - "Kells may look at HGV ban as trucks remain in town".

Another American attack on BP

BBC - "BP faces 7-year offshore drilling ban"   CNN - "U.S. moves to block new BP oil leases".
As it has not yet been established where the blame for the explosion and leak lies, this seems to be just another attack on what is seen to be a foreign company. It is symptomatic that the attack on BP accuses them of having a hand in the freeing of the Libyan convicted for the Lockerbie bombing.
As BP must now have more experience and expertise than other companies in how to handle oil leaks, this anti-Anglo attitude may not help the Americans in the long run.

Another tax

A company that was set up by local GPs is criticised - BBC - "Vince Cable proposing graduate tax in funding rethink".
Students already are charged fees (though they don't cover all costs), which are financed by loans which they have to start repaying when their earnings reach about £15 thousand a year. This is now done as an "Income-Contingent Repayment" which means that those on higher incomes have to repay the loans faster. If this system is replaced with a highly progressive tax regime, then those who will already be paying the most income tax may leave the country and pay nothing at all.

Green for danger

A company that was set up by local GPs is criticised - BBC - "Out-of-hours GP firm had systematic failings, CQC says".
Though GPs are not employed by the NHS, the Government have said that they will scrap the NHS "bureaucracy" and give the GPs control of almost all the NHS budget. This may result in some more GP millionaires, but what will it do to NHS services?

AGW

Another climate oddity - Reuters - "Woolly mammoth hunters helped change climate - study".


Wednesday 14 July 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - New Jersey / Pennsylvania - "DRPA leadership draws scrutiny"   Indiana - "Toll lanes proposed to ease gridlock on I-69, I-65"   West Virginia - "Putnam County Residents Speak Out about Possible Toll Road" video.

Inflation and unemployment down, but still far higher than "normal"

BBC - "UK unemployment declines to 2.47m"   ONS - "Labour market statistics: July 2010" pdf.
BBC - "UK inflation rate slows again in June"   ONS - "Consumer price indices: June 2010" pdf.
The main beneficaries of the Old Lady's money supply policy are still owners of residential property, with the latest statistics showing 11 per cent annual inflation - ONS - "House Price Index - May 2010".

More on the empty toll tunnel

Crikey - "Brisbane’s tunnel vision: numbers look like pie in the sky".
Most economists would charge you for the air that you breathe, but in many cases it is better to either supply something "free" (i.e. no charge at the point of use), or to not make the provision at all.
A classic example is the case of museums and art galleries where the Thatcher Government introduced charges. If say a Government owned museum costs 1,000,000 gold coins to operate and you have 1,000,000 visitors paying nothing, then the cost to the Government per visitor is one gold coin. If the Government then decides to charge say one gold coin per visitor it is quite likely that the number of vistors will tumble to say 500,000. The cost to the Government per visitor will still be one gold coin (actually a bit more than that, because there will be some costs associated with making charges), and there will be far less people benefitting from what the Government believe is good for them!

From a wider economic viewpoint it is even worse. If the visitors are from that country, then there has only been a transfer of money within the country. If the visitors are from outside, then there will be a real financial gain, but that may be more than offset if there is a fall in visitors to the country.
The case of the Clem 7 is the same as the museum. Given that the tunnel has been built (though it may have been poor economics to do so), the greatest economic good, now, would come from the Government buying out the Tunnel (presumably at a knockdown price) and removing the toll.

Lord, make me chaste - but not yet!

BBC - "FSA's Lord Turner warns against quick-fix regulation".

Taking from those that have not and giving to those who have

BBC - "Union 'outraged' at head teacher £200,000 pay package "   BBC - "Fresh details about public sector pay freeze disclosed".
That someone should receive what seems to be excessive amounts of pay is very common in modern Britain, but it is odd that someone who appears to have had a second job on the "City Challenge programme" had sufficient spare time to put in £10,000 worth of overtime on his first job.

More AGW

More worries - Environmental Research - "Tropical butterflies join polar bear on climate threat list".


Tuesday 13 July 2010

One less toll?

Daily Post - "New £20m bridge to be built at Penrhyndeudraeth"   BBC - "New £20m road and rail bridge plan for Penrhyndeudraeth".
Apart from this bridge and the Severn bridge, there are two other minor tolls in Wales. Though one has a 5 mph speed limit and the other does not allow cars at all!

Jeremy Clarkson of the Phillipines loves tolls

Business World - "Why tolls have to rise (1)".

More AGW

Bit more on the question of Northern hemisphere ice melting, or not - Watts Up With That - "Greenland Hype Meltdown".

From the one MPC member who thinks that interest rates are too low

BofE - "UK Monetary Policy – How long should “The song remain the same”?" pdf.

How independent?

BBC - "Sir Alan Budd denies OBR faced political interference".
The OBR is embedded in the Treasury and its (ex) head was appointed by the Chancellor. For the moment the independence seems to be more a cosmetic change than real.

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Connecticut - "Don’t be fuelish, there’s no such thing as a free ride"   Virginia - "Planners wonder if drivers will pay the price for expanded Midtown Tunnel".

Railways complain

Nikkei - "Scrapping Road Tolls May Cost JR East Y1bn Annually".
According to Wikipedia, the East Japan Railway Company "is the largest passenger railway company in the world" and was one of the companies formed when the railways were privatised. If Britain is anything to go by, then the railway companies will not be bearing any historical costs. In any case, if the Government want to discourage driving, it would be better to increase the low fuel taxes and thus encourage fuel economy.

VAT

HGV Ireland - "VAT on M50 tolls".

Who owns it?

Radio Free Europe - "Tajik President's Son-In-Law Denies Ties To Company ".
It may seem strange that Tajikistan's toll road is registered in the British Virgin Islands, but the M6 Toll road comes under "Macquarie Atlas Roads International Limited" which is registered in Bermuda, though the ultimate owners seem to be in Australia!

Bit more on FTA welcomes the last minute protest

Road Transport - "Severn tolls a "tax on Welsh business"".

Population trend

Leeds University forecast that the UK population will reach 78 million in 2051. "Ethnic" minorities will apparently be responsible for about 11 million of the 16 million increase - BBC - "UK's ethnic minority numbers 'to rise to 20% by 2051'".
The last official estimate of the UK population was 61.8 million people (ONS figure released on 24 June, and is at mid 2009). The latest official projections of the UK population were released on the 25 March - ONS - "National Population Projections 2008-based" - and look further ahead than Leeds University - to 1983. The ONS estimate that the population will be nearly 86 million - 24 million more people than the estimate for mid 2009. They will demand a congestion charge for walking along the pavement!

AGW

The WWF and their latest daily lamentation - Globe and Mail - "Climate change could put Canada's Arctic whales in hot water".


Monday 12 July 2010

USA Roundup

Right symptoms, wrong remedy - Washington Post - "Less driving undercuts raising the gas tax" letter.
This letter from the Brookings Institution is typical of the pro toll propaganda trotted out by political pressure groups on both the left and the right.
Though "Americans drove 1.6 billion fewer miles over the first four months of this year", Brookings neglect to mention that even so Americans are driving three trillion (3,000,0000,000,000) miles a year - FHWA - "April 2010 Traffic Volume Trends", the amount of fuel consumed by road vehicles is over 170 billion gallons a year, and the population is increasing at the rate of one per cent (3 million) a year. America urgently needs to increase the low Federal gas tax to encourage greater fuel economy.

Growth "up"
BBC - "UK GDP growth unchanged at 0.3%"   ONS - "Quarterly national accounts: 1st quarter 2010" pdf.
UK GDP has to increase by 0.6 per cent a year to match our growth in population.
In any case, GDP is an inadequate measure of the state of a country or the well being of its people. Countries with high levels of waste and efficiency may also have high levels of GDP. In a Utopia (that exists nowhere), it would be quite possible for people to experience real increases in the quality of life each year with no increase in GDP. This is because for the last two thousand years, most societies have produced an annual surplus which has enabled the creation of capital assets which increases each year and which later generations benefit from. Though some parts of capital, such as our roads system, may have spending levels which are not even high enough (or wisely spent) to maintain previous level of the asset.

More on RAC Foundation plan
Mike Rutherford in Telegraph - "Why does 'our' pressure group support road tolls?".
One answer, as Mike Rutherford seems to realise, is that the RAC Foundation is not "our" pressure group. The only real groups that campaign for driver's interests are the ABD and the Driver's Alliance. It is not clear who controls the RAC Foundation, but the Aviva insurance group seem to have the main say. Though at the end of the day organisations like this are just part of the establishment that dominates Britain, and allows a registered charity which has "Road user safety" as its "key theme" number 1, to have as number 2 "Road pricing" (from page 3 of the Foundation's 2008 accounts).

Bikers may go free
Hull Daily Mail - "Humber Bridge toll for bikers may be scrapped under new tagging system" POLL.

"More on Go Between" bridge traffic

Brisbane Times - "Solid start for Go Between Bridge".

Jakarta Globe - "Activist Hits Law As Toll Road Fees Are Raised Again".

More AGW

The UN's "High Level Advisory Group on Climate Change" which used to be headed by Gordon Brown is meeting in New York wih Britain still leading the campaign to "channel $100 billion a year in climate aid to poorer nations" - Business Week "Climate Finance Deal Needed to Break Treaty Deadlock, U.K. Says".

Too little attention, too late

BBC - "Global population study launched by Royal Society"   Independent - "Population explosion scrutinised as scientists urge politicians to act"   Royal Society - "Does population matter?".
World population growth is currently nearly 80 million a year. The percentage growth rate is slowing and may eventually stop, but the population has already reached an unsustainable level of 6.9 billion. Britain will suffer more than most as it is one of the most crowded countries on Earth and it is a net importer of millions of tonnes of food each year, including 95% of the fruit that we eat.
The Royal Society must be mad if they think that it needs a two year study to consider "the extent to which population will be a significant variable in rates of progress towards sustainable economic and social development over the next thirty years and beyond". Over the next 30 years it is forecast that there will be another two billion people needing food, other resources and space. It should be obvious to everyone that this will be "significant".

AGW

Scientists say that Arctic Ice will this year reach a record (since this series of measurements began in 1979) low - BBC - "Feeling the heat: Unlocking the Arctic's frozen secrets".
Predicting that something will happen in a few months is a goood game, as the usual culprits will report it as fact. "Watts Up With That" have different views on what might happen and why - "Sea Ice News #13".


Sunday 11 July 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Louisiana - "Crescent City Connection tolls are up for debate"   Oregon / Washington State - "How to build a bridge over the Columbia".

From the Land of Whimsy
Two examples that show the new Government is, like the last, liable to be blown on to some strange courses.

BBC - "'Too few ethnic officers' and 'discrimination' at GCHQ".
Given that you don't have to be born in Britain to serve in the Army, it is not surprising that we may soon be recruiting foreign agents to listen in on us!

AGW

Christopher Booker in the Telegraph - "Amazongate: At last we reach the source".


Saturday 10 July 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - New Jersey - "Report to Christie administration recommends privatizing tolls, state parks, social services".

Leading Toronto toll tout still pushing

Two wheeled writer still pushing against four wheels - Globe and Mail - "Don’t give up on tolls yet".


Friday 9 July 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - New Jersey - "Christie administration recommends massive privatization of N.J. services"   Illinois - "The need for speed, study examines congestion pricing"   Washington State - "Tolling is coming our way — just like the BP oil spill"   Illinois - "What happens if you blow through a toll stop?".

Too fast in Korea

Arirang - "Lower Speed Limit to be Applied for Cars Passing Through Highway Tolls".

Manchester's plan B hits the rocks

MEN - "Ministers slam the brakes on £560m of transport hopes". These schemes that will probably not proceed were part of the plan that the politicians denied existed when they were trying to sell the Manchester Con plan. If they had not wasted several years and many millions on the Con plan, these schemes might have already been built.
PS It seems that the schemes killed are all the roads one, the public transport schemes are going ahead - MEN - "Transport cuts bite deep".

More pensions to be hit

The new Government's Budget included a change in the rules so that public sector pensions would be based on the CPI rather than RPI. As this was buried in the details, there was almost no reaction to it, though the change means that if someone had retired in the year that the Consumer Price Index is based on (it started in 1996, but was retrospectively calculated back to 1988) and the new rules had applied since then, the pension would now be 16 per cent less than the RPI based one. It has now been announced that the change in the rules will also apply to company pension schemes - BBC - "Plan to change private pension inflation link"   BBC - Robert Peston blog - "Government cuts private pensions".
What Britain needs is a fair national unified scheme (public and private) which is funded and where a pension is based on what was paid in during a person's life. The chances of getting such a fair scheme are zero, because those who benefit from the current inefficient and corrupt mess are those who wield the power in Britain.

Another mad idea

The Coalition intend to hand NHS spending power to GPs - BBC - "NHS shake-up 'hands funding powers to GPs'".
GPs did their best to stop the Labour Government from setting up the National Health Service at the end of the Second World War. Beavan said that to get any cooperation he had to "stuff their mouths with gold". They are still independent contractors who have to be paid numerous supplements to do what would otherwise be part of their job. To put them in charge of NHS budgets is like letting a cowboy contractor have your bank card and PIN.

AGW

Bit more on "hide the decline" Inquiries - MSN - "Are you satisfied with the British panel's conclusion that while 'Climategate' scientists were not always forthcoming, their science was sound?" POLL   Journal Sentinel - "They even said it wasn't about the science"   Guardian - "How has 'Climategate' affected the battle against climate change?".


Thursday 8 July 2010

Even more woe for road toll company

Inside Costa Rica - "Ombudswoman Wants A Review Of the Tolls On The San José - Caldera".

The Old Lady keeps foot down on the inflation throttle, but is not yet adding more fuel to the tank

BBCf - "UK interest rates maintained at record low of 0.5%"   BofE - "Bank of England Maintains Bank Rate at 0.5% and the Size of the Asset Purchase Programme at £200 billion".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - California - "Higher Tolls Could End Up Reducing Bridge Traffic" video   West Virginia - "U.S. 35: Toll road or bust, DOH says" some comments   Texas - "Toll lanes ahead on MoPac?"   Washington State - "Boss to run for Pierce County Council seat".

Reaction to possible Dorset Con

Bournemouth Echo - "‘Road tolls will drive motorists elsewhere’ warns Poole tourism chief".

Proposal to narrow roads in Montreal because of congestion

Montreal Gazette - "You can't blame the Plateau for trying to cut traffic".

Ultimate answer to road congestion?

BBC - "Solar-powered plane lands safely after 26-hour flight".
This might solve the problem of congestion when travelling from A to B, but with a wing span of 200 feet, there might be a parking problem when you got there!

AGW

The top 500 of non-believers - Electrical and Computer Engineering Department in Toronto - "Skeptical Authors on Climate Science".


Wednesday 7 July 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - West Virginia - "Tolls to be taken on W.Va. section of Mon-Fayette"   West Virginia - "State Exploring Route 35 Toll Road; Public Meetings Set" video   Oregon - "How to Build a Better Bridge? Portland, Oregon’s Traffic Conundrum".

"When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
.... Go, go, go like a soldier,
So-oldier ~of~ the Queen!"

UKIP - "UK troops in Afghanistan to pull out of Sangin".
The British public are fed fables about the fighting in Afghanistan. The Taliban formed the Government of Afghanistan, before the US and its allies helped opponents to overthrow it. The Taliban Government was unpopular, but there has been almost continuous civil war in Afghanistan since 1978, and the Taliban were only formed in 1994. The forces that are now described as "Taliban" are probably fighting to get the "infidel" troops out, rather than to get the Taliban back in power.
At least the US and Britain are not like the Soviet Union, fighting opponents who have been supplied by the US with a vast deadly arsenal including Stingray missiles which helped the mujahideen to destroy 450 Soviet helicopters and planes before the Soviet forces withdrew the last of their troops in 1989.

More AGW

Results of the "independent" inquiry into the "hide the decline" emails and withholding of source data - BBC - "CRU climate scientists 'did not withold data'"   NY Times - "British Panel Clears Climate Scientists"   Guardian - "Climategate: No whitewash, but CRU scientists are far from squeaky clean"   THE REPORT.

More on RAC Foundation plan

UKIP - "Toll roads take us back to the dark ages"   Fleet Directory - comment.

Judgement of Solomon - a vitual Berlin wall

Labour want to keep the Western zone, but with residents of it excluded from the original zone unless they pay the full charge - Evening Standard - "Divide congestion zone in two to keep £55m revenue, says Labour".

More tolls waste

Scunthorpe Telegraph - "New hi-tech tolls system aims to beat congestion across Humber Bridge" inc a poll   BBC - "Plans to replace Humber Bridge toll system".
"Open road" tolling is expensive to set up and introduces lots of problems with cameras and tags and drivers either deliberately not paying or being wrongly accused of not paying. It is designed for roads, not for a river crossing where there is no practical alternative, this means that the present cash system will have to be kept, and two systems increases the chances of accidents as drivers approach the tolling area.
If the political establishment wanted to help businesses in the Humberside area then they would scrap the tolls.

Nigerian toll dispute

Sun (Lagos) - "Road of contention ...Lekki-Epe road pitch 50 communities against Lagos govt ".

Bit more on latest Toronto toll touting

Toronto Life - "Toronto road tolls go from abhorrent to approved: how'd that happen?".

AGW

Elsewhere in the world there are the usual reports of heat waves, including in China which is supposed to be experiencing record high temperatures. It is also having record use of electric power, which on Monday reached 13 billion kilowatt-hours. This compares with British consumption in a year of 380 terawatt-hours, which is about one terawatt-hour a day or one billion kilowatt-hours. Per head the Chinese generation of electricity has now reached about 60% of our levels. Let us hope that they rediscover the hand held fan!


Tuesday 6 July 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - California - "Increase in Bay Area bridge tolls could help public transit"   New Jersey - "Turnpike to consider advertisements on toll plazas ".

Car sales up

BBC - "UK new car sales rise 10.8% in June"   SMMT report (zip files).

Bit more on Here we go again

Telegraph - "Road pricing could become yet another tax"   Express - "Drivers Will Pay Tax Per Mile, Says RAC".

FTA welcomes the last minute protest

MHW - "Freight Transport Association FTA celebrates as Welsh Assembly Government considers impact of Severn tolls".

Update on the International bridge tussle

CNN - "A Detroit billionaire's chokehold on the Canadian border".

Bit more on Nova Scotia toll increases

Chronicle Herald - "Get set to dig for a loonie "   Metro - "Proposal calls for hike in tolls".

More on latest Toronto toll touting

Sun - "A call for tolls".

More on tag system being changed to spy in the sky

Today - "More flexible road pricing with satellites".

City may take a share in "privatised" toll

Brisbane Times - "Council Gateway bid likely".

AGW

NY Times - "China Fears Consumer Impact on Global Warming". If China was really serious about this then why does it not have fuel taxes?


Monday 5 July 2010

Election fraud

A not so equal vote on voting - BBC - "Nick Clegg facing anger over voting referendum date".

In part the Coalition are conning the public, in part they probably have little idea what they are doing -

The proposal for fixed term Parliaments and the arrangements about how many votes are needed to end the Parliament prematurely can be avoided by a Government one way or another. It would be better to reduce the maximum period to say 4 years, but let an election be called earlier based on either a simple majority of MPs or the decision of the head of state.

It is an anomaly to have an unelected head of state. The Parliamentary role of the monarch should be filled by either an elected President or an electoral college.

The House of Lords should go, but replacing it with an elected second chamber, means in effect a lot more MPs. It would be better to either not have a second chamber or replace the Lords with people who were there as represenatives of all the significant national bodies - trade unions, employer's organisations, churches, charities, academic insitutions etc. The second chamber would still have the power to delay legislation, but it would be for a shorter period than now.

The transferrable vote and alternative vote systems give the impression of fairness, but in reality ensure that we still have a two / three party state. It would be better to either keep first past the post or replace it with proper proportional representation.

Most important of all is that we need an English Parliament and an English Government. It is grossly unfair that Scots, Welsh and Irish who have their own Parliaments and Governments can vote on English law and administer what goes on in England.

Nova Scotia toll increases

CBC - "Bridge authority applies for toll increase"   Chronicle Herald - "Bridge tolls likely going up".

More on last ditch effort to get rid of Dartford tolls

Thurrock Gazette - "Tolls to go - but you still have to pay!".

Public opinion problem

Saigon GP Daily - "Infrastructure projects need residents’ concurrence to attract investment".

Here we go again - NO!
On today's lunchtime Politics Show, Stephen Hammond - the Transport Secretary - was the main guest, he was there mainly to talk about the 25% to 40% spending cut targets. Later on the show had the boss of RAC Foundation in the studio, to sell road tolls. Stephen Hammond was asked for his opinion. He said that Britain already had "pay as you go" road pricing, it was called fuel duty and he rejected the RAC Foundation idea. He said that the question might have to be looked again in 20 to 30 years time if there were significant numbers of cars that were not powered by petrol or diesel. When pressed again to say "yes", "no" or "possibly" to road pricing, he gave a clear no.

PS A more detailed account (the programme is not available on BBC's iplayer) - When asked what do you think of the RAC Foundation proposal, Stephen Hammond said - "The truth is we do pay as you go, because we burn fuel as we go, and we pay very substantial hydro-carbon duty to the Treasury. So we do have a pay as you go system.
We've ruled out a national road pricing scheme, and we've also said that we won't do any preparations for a scheme in this Parliament.
It's because at the moment, the overwhelming majority of vehicles on the road, (now) and for the foreseeable future, will burn petrol and diesel on which we have a very good pay as you go system - hydro-carbon duty.
Now there will come in 20 / 30 years, a time when the majority of vehicles on our roads may not burn hydro-carbon and there may then be another discussion.
The ex CBI boss, Digby Jones, then asked about foreign lorries using British roads but not buying their fuel here. Stephen Hammond said that the proposed Lorry Road User Charging scheme would deal with this, but it would not apply to cars.
And then at the end of the discussion, he again gave a clear no, though this is unlikely to stop those who are pushing road tolls and roads privatisation.

PPS Some readers comments in the Guardian - "For whom, the road tolls?".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Texas - "Why the 'Y' project stalled, and what now"   Florida - "Proposal To Make Causeway Safer For Cyclists".
Texas - "The NTTA Inconvenience"   Virginia - "Plan to replace U.S. 460 carries high price tag"   Massachusetts - "Toll taker pleads guilty to pocketing cash"   Texas - "A toll-free ride for thousands of North Texas drivers"   Texas - "On toll tags and freeloaders: Thoughts for a holiday weekend".

New toll bridge opens

Australian - "Toll a bridge too far for most motorists"   Courier-Mail - "Go Between Bridge opens in test of motorists' willingness to pay toll".

Weekend effect of trial removal of some tolls

Japan Today - "Toll-free expressway trial boosts traffic volumes 67% on 1st weekend" some comments.

More woe for road toll company

Inside Costa Rica - "Autopistas Out Of Pocket For Loss Of Tolls And Repair Work On San José - Caldera".

Toronto toll touts drooling

Star - "To avoid transit disaster, GTA needs road tolls and taxes now: report".
PS Some opposition - Star - "Solving our congestion problem" letter.

Here we go again

The road tolls vampire rises from his coffin - BBC - "Future road pricing 'inevitable' - RAC Foundation"   FT - "Warning on growing road congestion"   Telegraph - "Road pricing 'inevitable', says RAC" some comments   Telegraph - "Road pricing Q&A"   Guardian - "Privatise major roads, says RAC thinktank"   Mirror - "Half want pay as you drive tolls"   RAC Foundation - "Time for change to avoid gridlock" inc link to report.
This "charity" is making another attempt to deceive drivers, presumably in league with the other trolls including the DfT. Those behind this must realise that the facts about the cost of setting up and enforcing a system of road tolls, and the facts about the failure of the M6 Toll will come out. So why do they keep pushing this poison?


Saturday 3 July 2010

Dartford Question

This is Local London - "Dartford Crossing: Does removal of barriers plan give red light to sale?".

USA Roundup

Few more reports on the major Bay area toll changes which started on Thursday - Times Herald - "Many turn to buses, ferries as tolls jump"   Mercury News - "As congestion pricing kicks in, drivers hit the brakes to save a buck"   SF Weekly - "No Tickets Given to Drivers Who Stopped, Dawdled to Beat Bay Bridge 'Congestion Pricing'".

More private capital in Communist Vietnam

Thanh Nien News - "PPP touted as funding panacea ".

AGW

George Monbiot mocks "climate change deniers" for querying the IPCC claim that "up to 40% of the Amazonian forests" would be affected by AGW. He implies that far more than 50% will be affected - Guardian - "The IPCC messed up over 'Amazongate' – the threat to the Amazon is far worse".
This is the usual case of the Greens wailing over something hypothetical (that AGW may exist and if it does then it may lead to less rain over the forests) and ignoring bigger and more real problems. Tha Amazon rain forest is being lost due to deliberate deforestation, not due to reduced rainfall caused by AGW. In fact it is the other way round as forests act as carbon sinks and also increase rain, so less forests means more CO2 and less rain - Rain-tree - "The Disappearing Rainforests".


Friday 2 July 2010

Business boycott

Courier-Mail - "Businesses slap bans on Brisbane toll roads".

More fog from the Guardian

"Not clearing the air".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Texas - "Celina enters fray as area counties fight for toll road"   Virginia - "Are tolls on the way for I-95?".
North Carolina - "Charlotte Interstates Could Become Toll Roads" video   California - "Metrolink fares and 91 Express Lanes tolls increase".

India to tag cars

Trak - "Woohoo…Automated Toll system coming soon!"   Hindustan Times - "New electronic toll collection system by May 2012: Nath"   Indian Press Office - "Government Accepts Experts Committee Report on ETC Technology; Nationwide: Operations to Begin by May 2012".

On Red

BBC - "Transport for London plans to scrap 145 traffic lights'".
Traffic lights numbers, their timing and advance stop lines are all intended to slow and impede traffic. In many cases alternatives would reduce congestion without increasing risks for pedestrians, but changes will be opposed by the anti car brigade, we will have to see how much power the Mayor has against them.

Not so empty

Sydney Morning Herald - "Clem 7 improves traffic with toll cut"   Courier-Mail - comments.

Backing tolls and congestion charging

The Australian - "Congestion charges inevitable "   Supply Chain Review - "IA wants freight prioritised; backs congestion charging".
Infrastructure Australia is a Government Quango chaired by Sir Rod Eddington who produced a pro tolls report ("Eddington Transport Study" published in December 2006) for the British Government before he jetted back home.

Bit more on tag system being changed to spy in the sky

Transcript of what the Minister said - Gov Monitor - "Singapore Outlines Plans To Encourage Use Of Green Technologies".

MPs vote for status quo

Guardian - "Referendum on Westminster voting reform 'next May'".
It had been expected that MPs would back the "Single transferable vote", but they have instead gone for the "Alternative vote" which is more usually called the "Instant Runoff vote". According to Wikipedia, IRV is only used for Australia's lower chamber, Papua New Guinea's single chamber and the Irish President.
Compared with the current system of "First past the post" both STV and AV favour the Lib Dems, though the STV may have been slightly better for them. None of the systems are in any way proportional representation. The MPs have voted for a system which they intend will deceive people into thinking it is democratic, while they maintain the big party grip on UK Parliament.

Cleaning up

BBC - "Bid to speed up Trawsfynydd's nuclear decommissioning".
Nuclear power seems likely to be our main source of power, as fossil fuels are depleted and become more expensive, but the costs seem to be very high. For a small nuclear plant located in the middle of nowhere and which ceased operation in 1991, it seems that 550* people have been employed in cleaning it up, and they now want to increase the number of workers! (*According to the official site there are currently 630 people employed there.)

AGW

Not surprisingly, his University peers find that Michael Mann is whiter than white - NY Times - "Climate Scientist Cleared of Altering Data"   University of Pennsylvania - "Investigation of climate scientist at Penn State complete".


Thursday 1 July 2010

Attempt to stop Phillipines toll increases

Business Mirror - "With 8 petitions vs toll hike, TRB sets hearing".

More reports on the Bay area toll changes which started today

Mercury News - "Bay Bridge: No big problems as higher tolls begin this morning"   SF Chronicle - "Toll hike kicks in - morning commute is light".

New privately owned toll road may need $2 to 3 billion of public money

There is also consideration of tolling existing free roads (including one that has just had the toll removed as promised) to help pay for building of more toll roads - Sydney Morning Herald - "Tolls examined to fund motorway expansions".

Last minute protest

BBC - "Severn bridge tolls have a negative impact" video of Assembly debate.
It is wonderful that the Welsh Lib Dem Leader wants the tolls removed. But not only is he prepared to wait at least six years for this, but he only makes a big issue of it on the day that he leaves the Welsh Assembly and heads for the House of Lords.

Going Green

Meanwhile there is cash for green car clubs - DfT - "Car clubs are set to benefit from an extra £40,000 of Government funding, Transport Minister Norman Baker announced today". The good part of this story is that the Government are only going to waste £40,000 on this - or the price of one of the cheaper Lexus hybrids.

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Texas - "Where should the DNT go? Collin, Denton fight over the billion-dollar question"   Georgia - "Violators of Ga. 400 toll will face stiffer penalties"   New York - "E-ZPass not E-Z in credit change "   Indiana - "Cost to use Toll Road increases today"   New Jersey / Pennsylvania - "E-Z Pass express lane could open in Nov. on Route 80 Delaware River bridge"   Michigan - "Longmeadow toll bridge report finished"   North Carolina - "Budget restores bridge funding".

More on tag system possibly being changed to spy in the sky

Asia One - "Next: ERP in the sky "   Today - "LTA studying alternative to ERP system"  PC World - "Singapore Plans to Fight Road Congestion With Satellites".

Update on New Brunswick bridge toll squabble

Metro - "Feds, N.B. bicker over bridge toll proposal".

Taiwanese Givernment trying to force more use of e-tolls

China Post - "OBU-free cars to be allowed in ETC lanes on freeways".

More Nigerian tolls to kick in during August

Compass - "Collection of tolls begins on Lekki-Epe Expressway August".

More toll increases

South East Advertiser - "Gateway toll up".

What you are supposed to think

RAC - "RAC Report on Motoring 2010: The driver’s perspective" pdf.
The "RAC" is part of the Aviva insurance group. There is no direct reference to what drivers think of tolls, but the RAC appears to be still trying to flog the road pricing horse. They claim that "Two thirds (of drivers) want motoring taxes to be directly linked to how much a car is used. In addition, half of motorists believe it should be linked to when and where they drive." This is intended to imply that drivers would support road pricing and "congestion charging", but the truth is that the overwhelming majority of drivers believe that they are already paying too much in taxes, that tolls are the most unpopular form of tax (unless it is someone else that is paying them!) and that fuel taxes are the preferred way of taxing for roads use.

AGW

Government bans promotion of low energy light bulbs and subsidies for DIY insulation - Telegraph - "Crackdown on promotion of energy saving light bulbs".


Wednesday 30 June 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories -   Virginia - "McDonnell Proposes I-95 Tolls to Fund Improvements"   Michigan - "Kane Co. may OK new Fox River bridge, and $1.50 toll"   Indiana / Kentucky - "Louisville bridges may be tolled to pay for new projects"   New Jersey - "Complaints against N.J. toll collectors are on the decline, officials say".

Big Blue stories

"IBM is leading a project by the Energy Technologies Institute to analyse the impact electric vehicles might have on the UK power grid" - Green Wise - "IBM's Jon Bentley on powering our electric vehicles". Presumably the ETI / IBM report will omit to mention where the extra electricity is coming from. (The ETI by the way seems to consist of Government departments, including DfT, and six companies including BP and Shell.)

From the horse's mouth

BoE - "Why is CPI Inflation So High?" - They should know!

More on Government Carbon quango's second annual report

The Committee on Climate Change's report is now on their website, including this section on land transport - Committee on Climate Change - "Chapter 4: Progress cutting surface transport emissions through low-carbon vehicles and alternatives to car travel" pdf.
We are pleased that they are not pushing any form of road tolls, but otherwise the report is the usual waste of paper. They could have suggested switching the emphasis from other road taxes to fuel duty but instead they suggest more use of the higher vehicle excise duty bands for vehicles that produce more CO2. It seems that the Committee don't realise that once you have paid the annual tax, there is no incentive to use less fuel.
They also back more money being given to manufacturers of electric cars and subsidies of £5,000 to individual purchasers. The Committee, like all Greens, seem not to have grasped the fact that, at the margin, the electricity generated to charge the batteries must come from non renewable sources. When the additional cost of making the vehicles and the charging structure is added in, electric vehicles are not only of limited use, they also have a bigger "carbon footprint" than a conventionally powered vehicle.

Go figure

There is a report in today's Guardian about the ONS delaying figures - "Embarrassment for ONS as economic figures delayed".
The ONS say that a "quality check" revealed potential errors. This is the usual dodge that can affect all official data whether it be on the economy, traffic or temperatures. If the customer (the politicians) don't like the answers, then the statisticians are told to go away and "correct" the data. It is very easy to find mistakes, though of course a certain amount of skill is needed to make sure that only errors in the right direction are found.

Conning the Con

Guardian - "Boris Johnson: congestion charge confusion".
The "gridlock" that Dave Hill says will return is mainly caused by measures that he presumably backs which restrict and slows traffic.
TfL will lose income when the western Con goes, but there are other ways of getting revenue which do not have the hassle and trouble of the Con and which don't waste half the revenue in collection and enforcement.
PS More Con charge pushing from Dave Hill who doesn't seem to know that air pollution increased when the Con charge was introduced - Guardian - "Boris Johnson: clean air strategy breakdown".

Tag system may be changed to spy in the sky

Straits Times - "Call for new ERP proposals"   Channel News Asia - "Satellite navigation ERP and electric cars possible on future road system".

Another report on trial removal of some tolls

Daily Yomiuri - "Toll-free expressways' economic effects unclear".

Trading roads in "communist" China

Capital Vue - "Shandong Expressway To Obtain 7.5B Yuan Of Assets".

More on Phillipines toll increases

PhilStar - "SLTC announces toll increase amidst protests".

Toll trap for tourists

Irish Central (USA) - "Tourists should not be hassled for bridge tolls".

AGW

An even nuttier story - the motor racing industry say that they are going to cut down on CO2 - BBC - "Formula One embarks on carbon-cutting drive". Perhaps the first place in the race could go to the team with the lowest "CO2" - the cars could be pushed by the driver wearing an apparatus to measure how much CO2 they were breathing out!


Tuesday 29 June 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - "New York City traffic congestion charge plan stalled by politics".

Minister goes to Crossing

Thurrock Gazette - "Minister visits QEII bridge".

More on the ultimate car scrappage scheme

On Saturday we commented that the speech by Raymond Lim, the Transport Minister, virtually confirmed that the ERP tolls have had little effect. Someone else has noticed this - Today - "So why are Singapore roads still congested?".

More on the arch criminals

Guardian - "Diplomatic crime sprees: foreign embassy staff exempted from charges".

Congestion charges step one - parking fees

Vietnam Net - "HCM City to collect time-based car parking fees".

Tail wags dog

iStockAnalyst - "Oil firms join clamor vs. SLEX toll increase".
Oil firms usually support tolls as it means that fuel taxes are lower than they might otherwise be, so it's strange to see them opposing tolls in this case.

Pay the "tolls" or they might take your tyres

Daily Independent - "Commercial Drivers Lament Extortion".

More on Budget

The Fabian Society say that when the effect of spending cuts is added to the efect of tax and benefit chages the poor are worst hit. One anticipated spending cut is introduction of "tolls or pay-per mile charges" to pay for roads - Mirror - "Tory budget cuts slash 22% of income from worst off.. 4% from rich".

Ups and downs

BBC - "House prices fell in May, Land Registry says"   Land Registry - "House Price Index: May 2010" pdf.
Despite the fall. house prices are still up 8.2% year on year. Given the shape of the rest of the economy, inflation in house prices is a sign of a dysfunctional housing market propped up by low interest rates.

Fig leaf

BBC - "UK to cut number of skilled workers from outside EU".
1,300 less immigrants will have no noticeable effect. Though the BMA have said that it will "leave the National Health Service without sufficient doctors to carry out its obligations". Now who is is that fought to limit the number of British people qualifying as doctors?

AGW

Many sceptics accept some of the fundamental planks of AGW though they have doubts about the overall position, here are a couple of reminders that there are some that believe the AGW house is built on straw -

The Stefan-Boltzmann formula is used to calculate what in theory the temperature of a body is. For the Earth without "greenhouse gases" it gives a temperature of minus 18 degrees Celsius. This paper, published a month ago, casts doubts on whether the formula accounts for the observed temperatures on real bodies including the Earth - I love my carbon dioxide - "A Greenhouse Effect on the Moon?".

As well as the dispute over what the base temperature of the Earth would be without any "greenhouse gas" effect, there is a long running dispute on one of the AGW pillars - whether the greenhouse gas effect is consistent with thermodynamic laws - Climate Realists - "Why conventional Greenhouse Theory Violates the 1st Law of Thermodynamics".

Monday 28 June 2010

Increases to the tolls that were supposed to be abolished

Global Times - "Belated Web uproar over toll increases".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Maine - "Traffic patterns: Maine Turnpike Authority chief is unruffled by controversies"   California - "Officials commission report to gauge if drivers will use 91 toll lanes in Corona".

Diplomatic staff not paying the Con are compared with those enaged in human trafficking

Evening Standard - "Foreign envoys escape trial for ‘serious crimes’ thanks to immunity rules"   AP - "US tops list of unpaid London traffic toll fees".

Trial removal of tolls (on about 20 per cent of expressways) started today

Mainichi Daily News - "Multiple expressway sections made toll-free nationwide".
PSThe Government Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism have said that in the first 12 hours, traffic increased by 63 percent on the now toll free sections compared with a week earlier.   Daily Yomiuri - "Toll-free expressways, but at what price?"   Japan Times - "Toll-free highway trials start"

FT interviews Transport Secretary, who gives nothing away

"Transport secretary battles to keep projects on track".

Tolls reduced on empty tunnel

Sydney Morning Herald - "Shades of Sydney as motorists fail to see benefit of new Brisbane tunnel"   The Australian - "Clem7 operator slashes road toll"   Sydney Morning Herald - "Tolls slashed again for unpopular Clem7"   Brisbane Times - "Clem7 toll slashed to $2".

Advantage taken of barrier-less tolling

Daily Telegraph - "Millions in tolls unpaid".
Based on past experience it will be the Australian women who are plucky enough to defy the trolls.

VAT threat gone (or is it?

Irish Examiner - "NRA agrees to absorb exttra VAT charges".
The unanswered question is how will the private financers of these roads still make a profit if the Government pockets part of the toll as VAT?
PS A story which seems to contradict the previous one, but though it is published later it may be older - Herald - "Planned 21pc toll hike adds insult to injury - AA".

Update on Phillipines toll increases

Manila Times - "VAT to push toll even higher".

"National" side lose

Sport24 - "Germany sweep England aside"   Mirror - "90 minutes of misery: How England's 4-1 humilation against Germany played out"   Telegraph - "World Cup 2010: World reaction to England's defeat".
If it had not been for a disallowed goal, England might have gone on to beat Germany, but their overall performance in the World Cup has been dismal. Though perhaps England gets what it deserves from its "National" side. For a start, the teams have as their "National Anthem" a song which is a plea to God to save the monarch. Originally the monarch was George II, and he was being saved from the Jacobites. By coincidence the King that was to be saved had been born in Germany.
It is perhaps appropriate that England does not have a real national anthem, as the England team manager until recently could not speak English. The top clubs in the Premier League are dominated by players who are not eligible to play for the "National" side and most of the top clubs are foreign owned. At the end of the 2009/2010 season the ownership of the top ten clubs was -
Chelsea - Russian, Man United - American, Arsenal - American / Russian, Tottenham - English, Man City - United Arab Emirates, Villa - American, Liverpool - American, Everton - English, B'ham City - Hong Kong, Blackburn - English.


Sunday 27 June 2010

Old toll to be resurrected

Derby Evening Telegraph - "Bell tolls for free bridge use".
As far as we know there is no statutory toll on this road. If the local authority wanted to stop this toll then they could easily do so, for a start they could threaten to erect their own toll on the public highway immediately oustide this road which it is claimed is private. But pigs will fly before any authority helps drivers.

A new tale

Kent OnLine - "Hi-tech tolls to end Dartford Crossing queues woe".
When in oposition, the transport minister was strongly opposed to the tolls. Now that he is in Government it appears that he does not want to carry on with the previous Government's deceit - that the tolls were there to reduce congestion. Instead it seems that we are now to have open road tolling. Such barrierless schemes rely on 99% of drivers being malleable and backup camera systems and heavy penalties for those who aren't. It will be interesting to see if the Government or whoever they may sell the crossing to, will be prepared to take the risk that a lot of British (and foreign drivers) may not be tame pussy cats.

The PFI / PPP scam

Chronicle Herald - "Economist condemns P3 projects: Loxley sheds light on murky world of public/private partnerships".
Soon after he was appointed, the new Chancellor told the FT that he would clean up PFI by bringing it back into the public spending accounts. He has said no more about it, and it seems certain that the Government will continue with the scam, which was started by Norman Lamont, in the 1992 Autumn Budget Statement, and vastly expanded under Labour.

Toll rhapsody

Straits Times - "Civil servants sacked".
Which is stranger - toll officials being sacked or Australians who are not eager to hand over toll money?

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - California - "Bridges to cost $1 more to cross"   California - "Bay Area bridge tolls climb higher"   Florida - "Toll road tough sell for funding parkway"   Georgia - "Toll authority cracking down on deadbeats in Ga. 400 cash lanes".

Possible Cons

In Kochi (Cochin) - Hindu Business Line - "Transport roadmap for Kochi".

Bit more on VAT threat

Breaking News - "VAT on M50 toll would add insult to injury, says AA".
A rather late reaction from the AA, as this was announced over two weeks ago, and EU law requires VAT to be added to privately operated tolls.

Train Operating Companies are worried that Governemt will back bad schemes

Mercury - "Rail firms call for review ahead of expected cuts".
Though the taxpayer pays for a large chunk of rail spending, the companies are worried that they may have to try and recover some of the cost of these poor value for money schemes from passengers.

Get on yer bike

Mercury - "Duncan Smith considers incentives to relocate jobless".
Let's hope that the roads don't become crowded with cyclists! Jobless people moving to areas where there is currently work will create problems if the area is crowded. Perversely one of the reasons that those areas will be crowded is because most immigrants will tend to locate in areas where there is work and where there are already immigrants. If we had a lot less immigration, then there would be less crowding and more chance that either employers or British workers would move.


Saturday 26 June 2010

Possible return of Kewstoke toll

Mercury - "Toll would be 'unfair to Weston'".
This toll was indefinitely suspended in 2005 as it cost too much to collect and possibly because of concerns for safety of the toll collectors. Some residents want the toll brought back to discourage outsiders from using the road.

USA Roundup

ABC - "Raising gas tax may have some advantages" video.
The former Transportation Secretary may be supporting increased gas taxes, but while working for George Bush he was officially pushing tolls and roads privatization.
As is usual with stories like this, it concludes that the use of gas taxes should only be temporary as the use of petroleum is declining, so you will need - "tolls, public private funding, pay-for-use express lanes". The point that for many reasons you will for the forseeable future want to encourage less use of petroleum is ignored.

Jakarta Post - "Congestion pricing scheme for Jakarta".
The writer suggests that the Jakarta system should be made easier than the Singapore one, and doesn't understand that complexity and difficulty in paying are the main ways that these schemes have an effect on traffic. The writer does not say whether the people of Jakarta are as easily controlled as those of Singapore. Without this element a tag and camera system will quickly collapse into anarchy.

The ultimate car scrappage scheme

Today - "The Big Story - A question of supply and demand: Transport Minister Raymond Lim on balancing car ownership and the need to keep traffic flowing".
Anyone who has ever looked at our description of the ERP system will know that the tolls have little effect and that drivers in Singapore use their car far more than drivers in Britain. A figure which, according to the Minister, will over the next ten years grow by another 60 per cent.

Little meaning

BBC - "Interim cap on non-EU migrant workers coming to UK".
Most immigrants come from the EU, and it is unlikely that anything the Goverment will do will have much effect on the 600,000 who move to Britain each year or on the increased number of births due to immigrants.
"Business leaders" say that controlling immigration could harm the economy. The truth is that adding to the population reduces the well being of those that are already suffering from an inadequate provision of assets such as houses and roads.

G8 Muskoka Initiative

Vancouver Sun - "Leaders approve maternal health initiative"   UNICEF - "Statement by UNICEF Executive Director, Anthony Lake, welcoming the G8 Muskoka Initiative on maternal, newborn and under-five child health".
Over the five years of this plan to help mothers, there will be about 770 million births and a net increase in population of nearly 400 million.

Another 5 years

BBC - "Cameron wants troops home from Afghanistan by 2015".
Britain and America started bombing Afghanistan in October 2001, and by the end of 2001 they had succeeded in helping the Northern based rebels in defeating the Government. If Britain is to stay there for another 5 years, we will have been engaged for 14 years - longer than both world wars combined.

AGW

Telegraph - "Japanese told to go to bed an hour early to cut carbon emissions".
If going to bed early leads to more births, then you have swapped a theoretical problem for a real one.


Friday 25 June 2010

Buses doing well

A report commissioned by the DfT into the bus industry which indicates that they are making bigger profits than expected - DfT - "Review of Bus profitability in England" pdf.
It is amazing how small the bus industry is - only £4 billion of revenues.

Blow to Indian trolls

BBC - "India to scrap petrol subsidies"   Hindustan Times - "Govt hikes fuel prices, runs into opposition"   Economic Times - "Fuel price decision to make country efficient".

Greens want the Mayor to keep the Western Con

Mayor Watch - "London exceeds air pollution targets".
Air pollution does not keep out of artificial boundaries, and PM10s are mainly not created by road transport, and the part that is road transport in the centre of cities mainly comes from buses, taxis and lorries. Cars (from fuel combustion, brake wear and tyre wear) are only responsible for about 8% of PM10s in England.

Seven days a week

Daily Telegraph - "Sydney's week-long peak hour ".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Indiana / Kentucky - "Tolling scenario outlined at KIPDA meeting"   Texas - "Proposal to extend Texas 360 gets mixed reviews"   Tennessee - "Orange Route axed, TDOT official says"   "North Carolina jumps on I-95 toll bandwagon".
Oregon - "Poll: More drivers will take transit with 520 bridge tolls"   California - "Solo drivers can soon pay to enter I-680 carpool lanes"   California - "One Week Warning: Tolls Going Up".

More on Portugese Government wants to toll motorways

Portugal News on Line - "Motorways take their toll".

South African tolls sop for bikers

News24 - "Gauteng toll: Bikers may pay less".

Con alternatives

The Press - "York transport chiefs to draw up plans to ease traffic gridlock".

Free toll

Truro Daily News - "Peaceful protest".

More Polish tolls

The News - "For whom the toll tolls".

More on new South African tolls

Jacaranda - "Motorists to cough up for road upgrades".

Bit more on Welsh politicians promised easier tolls extortion

South Wales Argus - "Severn Bridge card payments ready ‘before Ryder Cup’".
This version has Norman Baker saying that "he did not expect the planned VAT increase to 20 per cent be passed on to users of the bridge." He is misleading the MPs, as the VAT going to the Government reduces the net income to the concessionaire and means that bridge users have to pay tolls for longer.


Thursday 24 June 2010

Welsh politicians promised easier tolls extortion

Western Mail - "Promise over card payment on bridge".

No off peak offers

BC Local - "Cars won't get off-peak discount on tolled Port Mann".
The reason given by the Transportation Ministry for no off peak reduction for cars was that it would not reduce peak period congestion "because commuters have little choice on when they travet".

Disable pay for "inefficient administrative procedure"

Croatian Times - "Administrative setbacks in ensuring toll-free roads for persons with disabilities".

Latest DfT Stats

Traffic was down slightly for the second year on the run - DfT - "Road Statistics 2009: Traffic, Speeds and Congestion" (links to data on the right).

Bonuses as usual in Britain's subdidised Rail business

BBC - "Network Rail bonuses criticised by transport minister".

More on something old, something borrowed, something blue

The Budget, apart from the VAT rise, seemed more like a Lib Dem or even a Labour budget, so the effects are surprising, particularly when the effect of what Labour had already announced is taken into account - Guardian - "Budget will hit poor harder than rich, according to IFS report"   IFS - "Personal taxes and distributional impact of budget measures".

UK Pop up 400,000 in one year

BBC - "UK population rises to almost 62m, ONS says".
As is usual, the increase is said by the ONS to be mainly due to births rather than immigration, but this ignores the fact that a very high proportion of births are to familes that migrated to the UK in the last two generations.

AGW

George Monbiot accuses "deniers" - Guardian - "Sunday Times throws scientific caution to wind with 'Amazongate' hatchet job".


Wednesday 23 June 2010

Bit more on Budget

When the Chancellor listed various asset sales yesterday, he did not mention the sale of the Dartford Crossing that had been planned by Labour. This looked like an oversight, but may have been deliberate - Kent OnLine - "Crossing sale put on hold in emergency budget".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Texas - "DOT OKs $1.465B for LBJ Freeway in Dallas"   Georgia - "State Study Looks at $1 Tolls on GA 400, Candidate for Governor Vows No GA 400 Tolls"   Georgia - "Nathan Deal gives Ga. 400 tolls a place in GOP race for governor".

Coalition accused of Budget Con

BBC - "Budget: Harman says government 'not being straight'".

One member of MPC breaks ranks

BBC - "Bank of England member votes for interest rate rise"   BofE - "Minutes Of The Monetary Policy Committee Meeting 9 And 10 June 2010" pdf.

Truckers complain about illegal tolls

Telegraph (Calcutta) - "Truckers at PC door over tollgate ‘tax’ ".

Phillipines toll increase delayed

Manila Times - "SLEX toll rate hike deferred to July 7".

More on something old, something borrowed, something blue

BBC - "Budget: Osborne rejects Labour 'carping from sideline'".
One of yesterday's announcements was that variouis benefits or pensions that are currently linked to RPI will be instead linked to CPI. The main difference is that the CPI excludes housing costs, so this suggests that the Chancellor expects housing costs inflation to exceed other inflation. Yesterday the Governor of the Bank of England indicated that he would do whatever was necessary to ensure growth. This can only mean that he plans to create more inflation.

AGW

View on AGW from an engineer (of sub orbital planes) - "An Engineer's Critique of Global Warming 'Science'" pdf.


Tuesday 22 June 2010

Tolls reduced to try and increase traffic

Straits Times - "Lower tolls on Second Link".

Something old, something borrowed, something blue

BBC - "Budget: Osborne's 'tough' package puts VAT up to 20%"   Direct Gov - Treasury Budget 2010 (pdf)   HM Treasury - all the Budget 2010 docs.
Much of the Chancellor's speech had been given to the press before it was read out to MPs. The overall impression is that the tax and benefit changes (apart from the VAT rise) were largely Lib Dem inspired, and though there will be lots of winners and losers, their overall effect will be small and the big economic impact will be from the public spending cuts.
One of the "announcements" that the Chancellor boasted of was potentially improved pensions through the "triple lock" - "With this coalition Government pensioners will have the income to live with dignity in retirement"; though this possibly notional gain is more than offset by increase in pension age. The Chancellor though cutting some family benefits (particularly for those on higher incomes), announced a big increase in the each child element of child tax credit costing two billion pounds, and that certain other credits would only be given were there was at least one child under five years old, presumably designed to make sure that Britain gets even more crowded.
The Chancellor said how important infrastructure was, by which he appears to mean spending on railways and trams. There was nothing in the speech about tolls though the Budget report refers to "attracting private sector investment in the UK’s infrastructure". We will have to wait and see what happens.
The Chancellor mentioned the fuel price regulator and also the possibility of reduced fuel tax rates for those living ouside the cities, but made no commitment.

PS On Capital Gains Tax, the Chancellor said that it was too complicated to bring back either the inflation indexing or the taper relief to offset his increase in the tax rate. Instead the threatened rise from 18% to 40% is now to 28% and the rise will only apply to higher rate tax payers - Telegraph - "Budget 2010: CGT rise to hit investors' pockets". The Chancellor's remarks confirm that fairness has gone out of the window, and the new regime will act as a spur for wealthier people to sink even more money into their first home (which remains exempt from any tax) and reduce other, potentially real, investments in the economy. It is also a sign that equally unfair and uneconomic Lib Dem proposals for road pricing may eventually be Coalition policy.

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - California - "Toll Violators Face DMV Hold".
California - "Legislators unite against practice of charging tolls for ride-sharers"   Virginia - "Second public hearing on George Washington Toll Road Authority scheduled tonight before Fredericksburg City Council"   Louisiana - "Lawmakers grant Grand Isle residents free ride over new bridge after first paying for tag"   California - "The Bridge Isn't Built, But the Bike Path Might Be Moving"   "California Assembly acts to close red-light camera, toll loophole"   Texas - "Construction begins to remove Dallas North Tollway booths".

Bit more on tags on the tolls that were supposed to be abolished

Global Times - "Drivers offered half-price electronic toll devices".

"You, your car, and climate change"

It seems that the answer to reducing CO2 is congestion charging - National Environment Research Council.

Traffic update on new bridge

The Province - "Drivers not paying the price for new bridge".

"An interesting concept"

Stuff - "Traffic congestion toll still on cards".

Land of Two Tolls

Middletown Press - "Probe looks into truckers’ ‘tolls’ in Afghanistan".
The official tolls in Afghanistan are based on the vignette sytsem, i.e. you need a special sticker to use the "toll roads". We don't know to what extent this official system is enforced. According to the Afghanistan Revenue Department (Introducing a Road Toll System in Afghanistan pdf) - "The Ministry of Finance Road Toll is the only legitimate government road toll in Afghanistan. Do not make payments to anyone for using the roads, other than to purchase a valid decal.".

More sound and fury

BBC - "Budget: Tough tax rises and spending cuts expected".
Accouding to the OBR set up by the Coalition, the forecast of the public sector deficit has gone down and the GDP growth forecast has also gone down. That would tend to mean that cuts in public spending and tax rises should not be implemented quickly. But the political game means that is just what we will get, though the size of them may not be significant (for the economy as a whole - some people and organisations will feel the pain) as the Coalition is according to its Budget leaks, going to proceed with various giveaways including an income tax reduction costing five billion pounds.
The most significant aspect will not be the overall budget, but the indication as to who the winners and losers will be over the next five years. If Business Green are to be believed, businesses are queuing up to throw themselves under the wheels of the AGW juggernaut - "Businesses urge Osborne to step up green tax plans".

AGW

Scientists who believe are far more numerous and more respected than the doubters - BBC - "Study examines scientists' 'climate credibility'"   Telegraph - "Climate change sceptic scientists 'less prominent and authoritative'"   Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - "Expert credibility in climate change" pdf.
This paper does not refer to AGW but to "ACC" or "anthropogenic climate change". Can they not agree that it is getting warmer?


Monday 21 June 2010

Best union in Britain

BBC - "GP waiting time target 'scrapped'".
The last Government made it easy for GPs to earn well over £100,000 despite extensive cuts in the hours they were supposed to be available. The targets that GPs were given in order to earn their maximum pay, were probably easy to fiddle, but if there are to be no targets then the BMA will have to work even harder at stopping new entrants to this pay elite.

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Florida - "Cape resident says city not taking toll cut"   Massachusetts - "On Big Dig, governor's race is an overdue moment of truth".

Budget forecast

Sunday Express - "Foreign Lorries Will Be Charged To Use British Roads".

More on Tolls uncertainty

Daily Yomiuri - "Yellow lights flashing on toll-free plan".

Another problem with the empty toll tunnel

Courier-Mail - "Clem7 overcharges utility driver for 'commercial vehicle'".

Sydney tolls increase

Daily Telegraph - "Toll owners raise fees".

PFI in India

Himacahal Live - "PPP as a solution for efficiency and performance?".

Phillipine toll increase may be delayed

Inquirer - "Let Aquino decide on SLEx toll hike–Palace ".

AGW

Guardian - "Manufacturers appeal for simplified carbon tax".
The simplest thing that they could do is remove it as it is a largely cosmetic tax raising less than one billion pounds a year towards the 700 billion pounds that the Government is spending.


Saturday 19 June 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - New Jersey - "Exit 17 interchange on the Atlantic City Expressway is open — but get your E-ZPasses ready"   Texas - "Construction on cashless toll booths to begin on Dallas North Tollway June 21"   California - "Toll Increase Coming to Bridge Near You".

Inflation fuel diminishing, for now

Though the Bank of England is succeeding in its unofficial target (which is to create house and other price inflation), there has been a bit of a mystery for the last few months as though the Bank is achieving its aims, it is despite the extra money leaking out somehow - BofE - "Provisional estimates of broad money (M4) and credit (M4 lending): May 2010".
The Bank, not realising that the alocholic has passed out, may decide that it can keep him drinking by giving him more cheap liquor. The Bank's base rate is already down to almost zero, and the Government has said that it will cut its spending, so we may see the bank printing even more money.


Friday 18 June 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Pennsylvania - "Turnpike Worker Accused of Stealing Toll Money"   Georgia - "I-85 Tolling Project Gets Green Light" some comments   New Jersey - "New AC Expressway Exit's Toll Set At $3"   New Hampshire - "Zippity-do-dah; I-95 high speed E-ZPass lanes open in Hampton"   DC / Virginia - "What new HOT lanes mean for Va." letters   Texas - "Cintra says LBJ financing 'completed'"   "Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to begin $27.6 million in projects on toll roads".

Dartford protest

BBC - "Dartford Crossing protest over sell-off proposal".

Study suggests a Bournemouth Con

From Daily Echo - "Is congestion charging the answer to area's traffic problems?"   "The plight of the charge brigade"   "Congestion charging factfile".
The study is being paid for by the Borough of Poole, Bournemouth Borough Council, Dorset County Council, the Highways Agency, the Regional Development Agency and the Government.
PS Theme D   BBC - "Congestion charge plans for Dorset unveiled".

New toll road troubles rumble on

Inside Costa Rica - "Autopistas Losing ¢9.1 Million Daily In Tolls From Road Closure".

Portugese Government wants to toll motorways

Portugal News on Line - "Government looks to charge tolls on Algarve motorway".

Tags on the tolls that were supposed to be abolished

Shanghai Daily - "Toll discounts for drivers with e-tags".

Jakarta Post - "Explanation of proposed road pricing plan needed".

"Free" schools?

Department for Education - "Michael Gove outlines process for setting up Free Schools".
"Free" means of course paid for by the taxpayers. As this policy will lead to more schools, it will mean that either taxes have to rise or that resources are diverted from somewhere else. That priority is given to such a daft policy does not augur well for what the Coalition will dabble in next.

Salem witch trial

BBC - "Congress tells Hayward BP ignored oil well dangers"   CNN - "BP executive failed to answer questions, lawmakers say".
A Republican on the Committee referred to BP being subject to a "shakedown", and the Americans have briefly turned their venom on him, though at least he is not in danger of being lynched because he has an English accent.

AGW

Two leading AGW apostles win prizes - Guardian - "UK government's environment adviser wins major international green award".


Thursday 17 June 2010

FTA "open minded" on truck tolls

FTA - "Fuel tax needs urgent reform, FTA tells Treasury".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Georgia - "Tolls Coming to HOV Lanes of I-85 in Gwinnett" video   New Hampshire - "Officials tout toll plaza as lanes officially open"   New Jersey - "Toll exit off Atlantic City Expressway for airport opens"   Georgia - "HOV toll lane project goes to bid".

Spending announcement

BBC - "Coalition government axes £2bn of projects"   Treasury press notice (pdf).
There are no roads schemes cancelled, but there is one "suspended" - the A14.

Trolls meeting in Toronto

A gathering to see how more money can be taken from drivers - Transport Futures - "Road Pricing & Leadership Summit".

Latest DfT Stats

DfT - "Core Accessibility Indicators".
In plain English, these stats show how difficult it is get to work, schools, shops etc by various modes. Not surprisingly it is easiest by car.

Highway movie data base

Telegraph - "Government vehicle surveillance database storing 250 journeys for every motorist".

Reward for incompetence

The Governor is to be given more power to steer the SS Great Britain on to the rocks - BBC - "Osborne gives Bank of England top regulatory role"   BofE - "Mervyn King, Governor Of The Bank Of England, At the Lord Mayor’s Banquet for Bankers and Merchants of the City of London at the Mansion House on Wednesday 16 June 2010" pdf.

America loots BP

The Americans are seeing red and green, they want blood and as much money as they can grab - BBC - "US Congress set to grill BP chief Tony Hayward"   CNN - "Democrat: Lawmakers going to take Hayward's 'hide off'"   NY Times - "With Criminal Charges for Oil Spill, Costs to BP Could Soar".
The rig and most of the other companies involved in the oil rig accident were American owned. The Americans have to some extent hampered the operations to mop up the oil because of the Jones act which protects American workers and companies from competition. It is a pity that Britain seems to be incapable of looking after the interests of British companies, it seems that they are all doomed to be either robbed or be taken over by foreign pirates.


Wednesday 16 June 2010

Deputy PM pushing road tolls?

Cambs 24 - "A14 could become toll road".
The Government collects about one hundred thousand pounds a minute from drivers, so the £1.2 million which they can't afford to spend on the road, is what they "earn" in just 12 minutes.
PS The "million" quoted by the paper should probably have been "billion". £1.2 billion would take a bit longer to get from drivers - 8days!

Survey mystery

Grimsby Telegraph - "Slow traffic on A180 caused by bridge survey".
The survey was presumably arranged by the previous Government who had said that they were looking at removing tolls. The new Coalition will be moving towards more tolls, so this survey is a waste of time, unless there is some ulterior motive.

Employment - spin it as you wish

Sundry stories - North Carolina - "Toll road idea gains traction for I-95"   North Carolina - "Road Ahead Likely to Include Tolls"   DC / Maryland - "The true cost of driving the Dulles Greenway" letter.

Tolls no guarantee of good roads

Narinjara - "Transportation Hindered on Major Road in Arakan". Adam Smith and John McAdam would agree!

More on topsy turvy tolls

It is clear that the Japanese Government has abandoned the promise to remove tolls, but some trials are to go ahead - Japan Times - "37 highways to test going toll-free".
Some previous trials were a farce as drivers still had to queue at the toll booths. In any case, those with a financial interest will make sure that these trials will be considered a failure and the burden will not be shifted from tolls to a gas tax.

"Research and education for the Common Good"

For a change the latest toll pushing is not in Ontairo but in Alberta from the Parkland Institute who's motto is "Research and education for the Common Good". They favour user charges rather than taxes, and on roads they say that the gas tax does not cover the costs of roads and the "externalities" including "greenhouse gas emissions". Their solution is, of course, not a higher gas tax, but tolls on most roads - Calgary Sun - "Calgary road tolls urged"   Parkland Institute - "No Free Lunch: Financing the Priorities of Calgarians" pdf.

Two more from Canada

BCLocal - "Apply tolls fairly" letter.

"We will make BP pay"

The American revolution continues, the President declares war, though no tea has been dumped in the sea yet - New York Times - "With Call to Arms, Obama Seeks to Shift Arc of Oil Crisis"   CNN - "Obama, BP set for Gulf oil showdown"   CBS News - transcript of the President's speech   ABC News - "Obama: BP Will Pay for Its 'Recklessness'" lot of comments.

AGW

ABC (Oz) - "Whale poo fights climate change: study".


Tuesday 15 June 2010

Wearing the hair shirt again

BBC - "PM says sorry over Bloody Sunday".
According to the BBC - "Thirteen people were killed when Parachute Regiment soldiers opened fire during a civil rights march in Londonderry on 30 January, 1972.". The British soldiers lied about the shooting, according to Lord Saville and the other two judges, who presided over the Inquiry.
It is plausible that soldiers who thought that they were under fire were reckless in shooting at where they thought the firing was coming from and that as a result unarmed people were killed. But the judgement goes a lot further than this, so has the BBC got any film of the soldiers opening fire on the march? And if there is this clear proof , then why did the Inquiry take so long to reach its conclusions?
Some of the events that were happening 38 years ago and which are not the subjects of Inquiries, were - the ongoing American war in Indo China which resulted in millions of deaths in North and South Vietnam and in Cambodia, the massacre of over 100,000 Hutus in Burundi and the ongoing Portugese Colonial war in Angola and Mozambique.
PS Comments in the House of Commons 38 years ago when the first discredited Inquiry report was released - Hansard - "Northern Ireland (Widgery Tribunal Report)".

The green angle

One possible reason that the President and others are treating the Gulf oil spill as the biggest disaster ever is because of the Bill that they are trying to get through Congress - Voice of America - "Obama Urges Congress to Enact New Climate Law".
Tonight the President will address the nation on the oil spill. Let's hope that he does not declare war on Britain, as the British forces may be confused as to who's side they would be on!
PS "It wuz me" so we have to "bike to work, plant a garden, do something" - NY Times - "This Time Is Different".
If America wants to reduce oil consumption, then logically this would mean higher gas taxes, which would either be offset by reducing other charges and taxes or used to reduce the astronomic Government budget deficit. Instead all Americans are likely to see are the usual crooks (at home and overseas) being subsidised to run inefficient energy alternatives and deal in carbon trading scams. These measures will have little effect on oil consumption and will add to the deficit.

Inflation (CPI) "only" 3.4%

BBC - "UK inflation fell to 3.4% in May but stays above target"   ONS - "Consumer price indices : May 2010".
With the older RPI index showing inflation of 5.1%, while interest rates are almost nil, the Governor of the Bank of England must be due for a pay rise.
The RPIX index is usually close to the CPI as they both exclude mortgage interest. In April the RPIX is more in line with RPI, possibly becuase they both include Council tax increases, and the CPI doesn't.

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - North Carolina - "Transportation secretary: State seriously considering I-95 tolls"   California - "Tolls going up but service gets worse" letter   "North Texas Woman Unknowingly Owed $11k To NTTA"   Washington State - "New regional transportation plan charts responsible strategy"   California - "Take a drive on bold idea highway, at your expense".

Tagland

Joe - "Additional electronic tagging services get green light".

Tolls temporarily lifted due to congestion

Vietnam News - "Traffic jams twin bridge in HCM City for hours".
Going by the picture the "traffic" is nearly all bikes and buses.

Phillipines VAT addition to be rushed through

Manila Times - "Tax bureau rushes road toll VAT ahead of Aquino govt".

Pension inconsistency

One of the first Coalition promises was to raise state pensions "by the higher of earnings, prices or 2.5%" (under existing law the annual increase in state and public sector pensions is tied to RPI, though in some years Labour has raised the state pension (not public sector) by 2.5% if that was more than inflation). The Coalition are now hinting that they will cut back on public sector (not state) pensions - BBC - "Public sector pension costs 'to double in five years'".
There is no logic in all this, as many public sector pensions are funded. The proportion funded would be even higher, but the Government in most cases - including civil servants, teachers and police - treats the pension contributions as revenue instead of putting them into a fund. What we need is a reform of all pensions, as part of which all the state, public sector and private sector pensions should all be part of one united, consistent and funded system.


Monday 14 June 2010

Perspective

CBS - "Obama Compares Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill to 9/11".
Given that America has enough nuclear and other WMD to destroy the world several times over, it is worrying to see the mania that this oil spill has caused.
Apart from the President's remarks, there is a mass boycott of gas stations that use the BP logo, and some senators are virtually saying that the "British -BP" have been bribing the Department of Interior's Minerals Management Service to let it get away with unsafe practices.
Perhaps someone should remind the American public of how many people have been killed and are still being killed because of their military actions in Indo China and elsewhere. Someone might also mention the leak from the American owned Bhopal pesticide plant which affected hundreds of thousands of people with at least several thousand dying.

Going down - Growth AND deficit forecasts

The new "Office for Budget Responsibility" have reduced the last Government's growth forecast for 2011 from 3.25% to 2.6% - BBC - "Fiscal watchdog downgrades UK growth forecast"   OBR - "Pre-Budget forecast June 2010" pdf.
As the OBR has been set up by the new Chancellor, it was not possible that it would not have reduced the forecast. Reduced growth means less tax income and more unemployment pay etc. So the belief is that the new Government will give this reduced growth forecast as a reason for bigger cuts in public spending.
The forecast of lower growth will make the private sector less optimistic, which added to the reductions in public spending will mean lower growth. So the OBR forecast reduction in growth is bound to be proved correct. The only question is will there be any growth at all?

PS The OBR have also reduced the forecast Government debt. This is in line with the last Government actual debt figures being lower than expected (see "Better late" on 22 May), but it is still surprising that the OBR are saying what, in this case, the new Chancellor probably does not want to hear, as he will now be under pressure to moderate his cuts.

Time for a change?

A reminder of a couple of old pieces on what causes congestion - Transport Watch - "Time To Change Gear"   ABD - "Congestion".
The point for the new Government is that to some extent they can reduce congestion by stopping the spending of money on measures that restrict, stop and slow motor vehicles.

Comment on "auto pay" problems

Kable - "TfL admits congestion charge autopay problems".

USA Roundup

The Illinois toll authority is to stop corruption and become efficient - Rockford Register Star - "Tollway needs to fix roads, agency's credibility".

More on "Guess the Tolls" bridge

Vancouver Sun - "Reasons to be cross about a new bridge".

Don't breathe

BBC - "Windscreen water infection risk".
If this is getting through the windscreen, how about all the other fumes? Should we wear a mask?
By the way, auto firms say that you should not use washing up liquid when cleaning the windscreen or bodywork as it will damage the glass and paintwork, so what does it do to dishes?


Sunday 13 June 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - West Virginia - "Tolling the future: Barr’s 2019 prediction prematu".

Empty toll tunnel reduces congestion

Courier-Mail - "Clem7 eases surface congestion".
Any traffic removed from other roads will tend to reduce congestion (assuming that the roads being quieter doesn't attract more traffic). But the optimum distribution of traffic can only exist when the traffic pattern is not distorted by tolls.

Continuing troubles on new toll road

Inside Costa Rica - "San José - Caldera Closed From Atenas To Orotina!".

AGW

The Register - "Giddens, Lawson argue quite sensibly on climate change".

Don't bank on it

BBC - "Bank commission calls for 'profound reform' of banks"   The Future of Banking Commission report (pdf).
Reform of any part of the British financial system that might have a positive effect on the average investor will not happen. All we will get is a reshuffling of the deckchairs, while we wait for the next financial disaster.

United

DC chats to BO about BP, but we don't know what was said - BBC - "The prudent US-UK diplomacy of the BP spill".
It isn't clear whether the dislike for things British is because of watching too many Hollywood movies where the English usually play wimps or villains or because the British are said to have tortured the President's grandfather - Times (December 2008) - "Beatings and abuse made Barack Obama’s grandfather loathe the British".
Another flavour of what some Americans think was in the CNN report of the World Cup game between the USA and "the so-called inventors of the game, England".


Saturday 12 June 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - New Hampshire - "One dead, another injured in Everett Turnpike rollover"   Louisiana - "Will Grand Isle residents pay toll?".

Trolls defence

Irish Times - "NRA defends disparity in toll charges".
There is no justice or logic to tolls, only how much they can extort, i.e. "the amount a driver would pay before opting to leave the motorway to avoid the toll".

Forcing older vehicles off the road

Berita Jakarta - "City to Soon Implement Vehicle Age Restriction Policy".
Taking older buses and cars off the road may result in congestion from cyclists and pedestrians! As usual the real problem is people. Fifty years ago the city had a population of one million, today it is estimated as between 9 and 23 million, depending on where the urban boundary is drawn.

One man who is not pushing tolls in Toronto

The Star - "Pantalone rules out road tolls".
As with Jakarta, the congestion and the demand for "mass" transit is largely due to population growth - in 50 years the population of the Greater Toronto area has grown from 2.5 million to 6 million.

Cameron standing firm

The British PM's stance on the attacks on Britain from America's President seems to be leaning towards the anti BP side, hardly a surprise. It is also not a surprise that yesterday he doubled the "operational allowance" i.e. the daily war pay supplement. America's war in Afghanistan has been going on in one form or another for most of the last 30 years. Britain's direct involvement "only" began in 2001, but perhaps Britain should be considering whether it gets any credit for its support.
Comment on the "British" leak - New Scientist - "Whose spill is it anyway?".

AGW

"Group of 77" wants more money and less CO2 from the "industrial" nations - BBC - "Gulfs remain after UN climate change talks in Bonn".
The Group of 77 actually consists of 130 "developing" nations, including China and India, that have over half the earth's land surface - Wikipedia map. This group already have about 80% of the Earth's population and are major sources of migration. Perhaps the other countries should be concerned about what this mean's for the future, rather than waging a war on CO2.


Friday 11 June 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Michigan - "Opsommer: Plan takes away say about toll roads"   Pennsylvania - "Business supports fee hike for roads"   Pennsylvania - "Local lawmakers mull raising gas tax to repair roads"   Virginia - "Chesapeake rejects latest Dominion Blvd. bid" comments   Louisiana - "Senate committee says Grand Isle residents must continue to pay La. 1 toll" comments.

Turkey brings in punitive charges for those who don't use toll tags

Today's Zaman - "Cash option at I.stanbul-ankara tollbooths to be abolished by July 1".

Empty toll tunnel was forecast

Courier-Mail - "Clem7 tunnel team knew of risk".

More on new toll bridge near Liverpool and other transport schemes being reviewed

Some of the other stories following yesterday's written statement to the Commons (continues on a second page) - Regen - "Revealed: List of 62 transport schemes put on hold"   New Civil Engineer - "Government postpones decisions on all local transport schemes".

More tolls pushing

The Social Market Foundation two months ago (before the election) suggested that the roads should be sold off and tolled, they are pushing the idea again - SMF - "Axing & Taxing - How to cut the deficit" (see part 3 on page 35).
We said last time, this suggestion was worrying "when you see the many establishment names on the Foundation's main board or advisory board. They include George Osbourne and Vince Cable.". Rumour has it that George and Vince are both now part of the Coalition.

Welcome to Ireland

Irish Times - "Motorists set for 21pc tax hike on tolls"   Independent - "NRA takes its toll on the motorist" letter   Irish Times - "VAT to be charged at tolls owned by State".

Indian toll threat

Times Colonist - "HST protest could lead to road tolls on reserves".

More on Tolls will be higher than they said

Vancouver Sun - "Critics say 48 hours to pay Port Mann Bridge toll 'unreasonable'"   Ctv -"B.C. premier under fire for new bridge surcharge"   CBC - "Extra Port Mann bridge fees don't worry truckers" comments.

What the public think on inflation

BofE - "Bank of England/GfK NOP Inflation Attitudes Survey".

AGW

A nostalgic look back at CO2 before it was discovered that it was really a pollutant - New Scientist 2 Feb 1984 - "Solar scientists go green with envy".


Thursday 10 June 2010

New toll bridge near Liverpool kicked into touch?

Click Liverpool - "Runcorn toll bridge bridge plan demolished?".
If correct, then this is a big relief as the plan would have created a precedent. The forecast was that no one would use the tolled bridge, so they intended to also toll the only practical alternative which currently carries over 80,000 vehicles a day - for free.

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Michigan - "Opsommer: 'Bridge' bill actually would open door to toll roads"   New Jersey - "Your comments: N.J. toll plazas could feature sponsorships, advertisements under proposed law"   West Virginia - "New Website Part of Route 35 Toll Study".

Tolls will be higher than they said

All Voices - "Tolls and Trains may Derail BC Government"   The Province -"Toll for new Port Mann Bridge will be $5.15 for casual users" comments   The Province - "Port Mann tolls set to sting"   CBC - "B.C. misleading on Port Mann tolls: NDP" lot of comments.

More (self) praise for South African tolls

MoneyWeb - "Pay, pay and you can have decent roads".

The Old Lady keeps on inflation course

BofE - "Bank of England Maintains Bank Rate at 0.5% and Maintains the Size of the Asset Purchase Programme at £200 Billion".
It is anyone's guess, when, or even if, the SS Great Britain will be run into the rocks again, but if there is a next time, then the ship will probably be beyond refloating.

Louise Ellman is again the chair of Transport Cttee

BBC - "Hodge elected as chair of key Commons committee".

New bio-fuel rules

BBC - "EU biofuels 'need to be certified for sustainability'". Thanks to the EU, we will have another area that the spivs will make money on with the trading of fraudulent pieces of paper.

York Con even less likely

York Press - "Brakes put on York road toll plans".

The masses must go by mass transit

Earth Times - "'Car crazy' Indians urged to use mass transportation".
India's roads and cities would be a little less crowded if since independence the population had not increased by over 800 million (350 million in 1948 and 1,170 million now).

Mayor says "No" to more tolls

East London Advertiser - "Boris rules out suburban road tolls in pledge to London Assembly".

The FT in praise of South African tolls

"Roads: Tolls provide a route through the jams".
South African politicians and those that will cream the money off these schemes will agree with the FT, but based on the reports that we have from time to time from South Africa, neither the people nor local businesses would agree with the FT.

New PM, same policy

The Japanese PM, Yukio Hatoyama, and the Secretary General of the main Government party, Ichiro- Ozawa, had to resign a week ago over the issue of American bases on Okinawa. A new cabinet under Naoto Kan was formed this Tuesday, but it seems that the DPJ Government will continue to renegue on its promise to abolish tolls - Japan Times - "Maehara still has Futenma, JAL, road toll vows to contend with".

Brisbane tolls

"Go Between" bridge losses - Sydney Morning Herald - "It's a long way to be back in black".

Ontario likely to extend the notorious 407ETR

Truck News - "Ontario government gets ball rolling for Hwy 407 expansion".

Blame the Brits

BBC - "Oil spill: BP shares plummet 11% on Obama fears". The various shades of green are going after the British bogeyman despite three facts -
Oil licences set a cap on how much compensation will be paid (as otherwise companies might not take the risk of drilling). This oil rig is American owned (Transocean) and is only leased by BP. The company that was responsible for the operation that went tragically wrong was Halliburton, another American company.
It seems that as with the revolution of 1776, the Americans do not want to pay for the services that they get.

Needs more studying

BBC - "Degree costs a burden on taxpayer, says David Willetts". Before bumping up fees, the Government should look at what the aim is behind sending so many people to university for three years. In many cases there must be better and cheaper ways of achieving the objectives.

AGW

Boldly going where they have not been before?   Telegraph - "Nasa's first ever 'field trip' to study effects of climate change on Arctic ice".
The story starts "Nasa has switched part of its focus from space". In fact the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (part of NASA) is one of the main sources for the "cleaned up" data that purports to show how the Earth's temperature has steadily increased over the last couple of centuries, with a record level being reached in April.


Wednesday 9 June 2010

A cyclist wondering why taxis are also part of the roads elite

Guardian - "Why are taxis king of the road when they carry so few passengers?".

West London Residents' Association asks people to say "no" again

Wembley & Kingsbury Times - "Congestion charge consultation".

More AGW

Meanwhile a lawyer from Pennsylvania Law School has looked at the reports of the UN's IPCC - Motley Fool - "Specifically for ChrisGraley, llcx, and nzsvz9"   Probe International - "Global Warming Advocacy Science: a Cross Examination" pdf.

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - "Rhode Island bill seeks tougher penalties for those who don’t pay bridge tolls"   Florida - "Authority looking at I-75 toll lanes in Collier, Lee rolls back into picture" inc poll.

Population growth

There are a couple of stories today that illustrate that the Government does not understand the population problem.
One is - BBC - "English rules tightened for immigrant partners". This rule (which was due to come in anyway) will have almost no effect on the number of immigrants or how many children they have. It's main purpose is to give the illusion that the Government are in control and are doing something.
The other is - BBC - "Councils to get help to stop 'garden-grabbing'". We live in an over crowded country (particularly England where these rules would apply) with a shortage of homes. The main aim of planning policy should be that windfall gains do not all accrue to landowners but are shared by those who are adversely affected by any new building in their neighbourhood.

AGW

Where to cut - Gerald Warner in Daily Telegraph - "Public consultation on cuts is vapid PR: better to save £205bn by cutting climate change agenda".


Tuesday 8 June 2010

From Transport Watch

Another evaluation of energy efficiency and how much carbon is created by use of electric compared with conventionally fuelled vehicles - "Electic And Conventional Drive Vehicles".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Maine - "Army Corps questions MTA plan for York tolls"   West Virginia - "Turnpike tolls may continue past 2019".

AGW

EU Energy Portal - "England team fights climate change en route to the World Cup". With preparations like this, no doubt the World Cup will be coming home, at least as soon as they have sorted out what carbon credit they will need to buy for the extra weight on the return flight.


Monday 7 June 2010

Now here is the not yet the worst news

BBC - "Cameron: 'Difficult decisions' on pay and benefits"   text of PM's speech.
The economy is in dire straits, but the forecast Government deficit is really no worse than what was known before all the parties issued their election manifestos. The massive deficit is partly because Britain is a nation of spenders, but is mainly because of the mess that the Bank of England encouraged. The City is likely to continue to be helped with cheap money and only nominal regulation, so we may eventually find ourselves falling down a deeper rabbit hole.
The PM twice mentioned "climate change" in his speech, perhaps an indication of one area where UK plc will be wasting even more money than now. Let's hope that when we know who is going to be hurt by spending cuts and tax increases, it will not again be the users of the roads system.

Hauliers get ready to jump over the cliff

Road transport - "RHA meets with new Transport Secretary".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Virginia - "Tolls take a toll on workers, state residents" letter   Michigan - "Bridge legislation takes a wrong turn on tolls" letter.

Another road pricing push

FT - "Radical transport thinking sparks dispute".
As usual it is assumed that drivers are stupid and weak and that they are either ignorant of the facts or have short memories.
The FT says that "Both sides of the dispute about how to plan the transport network’s future believe it is vital to introduce a system of per-mile charging for road use.". It also quote an academic - "The problem is congestion. How do you solve congestion? It’s road pricing."
The trolls, greens and economists may want this to be so, but the reality is different. Taxation of fuel is far and away the most economic system for charging for fuel use and also has the advantage of encouraging reduced fuel use and lowering emissions.
Road pricing is a very expensive way of shifting traffic and a very poor use of resources. It is far better for UK Plc to spend more in improving capacity. Even with existing spending, more could be done if the apparent aim of the authorities was not to hamper and slow traffic.


Sunday 6 June 2010

Wrong solution

Kent News - "Foreign truckers could be made to pay to use roads".
Britain's politicians seem to suffer from dementia. The plan to toll foreign lorries was abandoned in 2005 for reasons which still apply. Putting tolls on roads that only foreign lorries pay would be against EU rules and would not be economic to collect. There are better ways to even out the unfair advantage that foreign lorries have - if that is the real aim. Perhaps what they are really after is introducing road tolls on British vehicles by the back door.

Death wish

Sunday Express - "Safeguard All Our Futures By Getting Tough On Lax BP".
Over the last 50 years, most of Britain's industries have been destroyed. Initially the damage was done by the unions, then we had managers who failed to make real investments while taking inadvisable risks in other areas. We have also had Governments who have broken up successful firms in the interests of "competition" and have encouraged foreign firms rather than our own. Now it seems that the news media are trying to demolish anything which is still standing.

Toll hoist

Northern Echo - "Bollard claims new victim".
Britain's other "congestion charge" is bizarre in various ways, one of which is that it is only payable between 10 AM and 4 PM, and thus excludes what would normally be the peak traffic periods. It is more akin to a visitor tax.

Driver resistance in Taiwan

Focus Taiwan - "ETC operator, government still at odds over toll collection system".

AGW

The Underground - "Faith leaders unite for climate-change legislation".
"Interfaith Power & Light" operate in just over half the states and is a "nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency, and conservation in response to global climate change. Our goal is to help faith communities recognize and fulfill their duties as stewards of creation, while also serving as their voice on state and federal legislative matters." Not surprisingly it does not mention the effects of the "creation" of billions more people.


Saturday 5 June 2010

Update on the toll bridge dispute in New Brunswick

Telegraph Journal - "Deal offered on bridge".

AGW

AGW is 50 per cent of the warming - Nature News - "Glaciers' wane not all down to humans - Natural climate swings have had a major role in eroding Alpine ice".


Friday 4 June 2010

The war goes on

Telegraph - "Car parking wars".

The braver sex

News-Mail - "72yo rather go jail than pay toll". There have been similar cases before - all women.

No tolls plea

Queensland Times - "Mayor targets unfair tolls".

More on new tolls

Times - "Gauteng driving will be pricey".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - "N.H. transportation officials: High-speed toll trial a success"   New York - "McArdle’s objections to congestion pricing"   Massachusetts - "Pike perk is workers’ free pass"   Indiana / Kentucky - "Bridges authority seeks guidance on tolls"   Florida - "Concerns raised over all electronic Crosstown Expressway tolls".

Bit more on tale of Two Toll bridges

CTV - "Toll bridge popularity remains unproven in B.C." video.

AGW

Ups and downs of climate change - AFP - "Pacific islands adapt to climate change"   New Scientist - "Shape-shifting islands defy sea-level rise".
It could be that, despite what these stories say, the islands are getting bigger over the last 60 years or so because there has been no increase in temperature that might have caused a rise in sea levels. Those low lying islands and coastal areas that are at risk are mainly in trouble because of over population.


Thursday 3 June 2010

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Virginia / DC - "HOT Lanes May Break New Ground But Questions Remain"   Texas - "Relieving I35 Congestion, moving trucks".

Europe gets tough on soft English

Guardian - "UK given final warning over London air quality"   Mayor Watch - "EC threatens court action over capital’s air quality".
Most people want cleaner air but why should Europe be telling us what to do? All the politicians want to crowd more people (most of them immigrants) into London, so it will be difficult to reduce emissions there. Emissions which don't seem to come from cars, as when the Congestion Charge was introduced, the measured air quality fell according to the official data, though Transport for London produced a misleading report which gave the impression that air quality had improved.

Tales of Two Toll bridges

BC Local - "Bridge toll a ‘hot potato’"   Vanocuver Sun - "TransLink considers reducing Golden Ears tolls".

Denial that Captain Bligh has ordered more tolls

My Sunshine Coast - "Bligh Government rules out congestion tax and distance-based tolling".

Bust toll to be bailed out

Bay of Plenty Times - "Council to hand on $65m debt?".

New toll road

Meath Chronicle - "New era for traffic-choked towns".
It remains to be seen whether Irish drivers will pay more blood money or will continue to use the old roads.


Wednesday 2 June 2010

More on unhappiness with toll plans

IoL - "ANC outrage at toll roads"   Handy Shipping Guide - "Road Tolls Slammed by Hauliers Association".

More on Captain Bligh ordering more tolls

Courier-Mail - "Secret toll plan to charge motorists for every kilometre analysed by Bligh Government".

Annual house price inflation now at 8.5%

Land Registry - "House Price Index April 2010" pdf released 1 June.

Drug protection racket

BBC - "Watchdog backs a minimum price for alcohol".
This proposal is intended to protect the profits of the alcohol and advertising "industries". Presumably those who suggest this believe that the politicians would not support the better idea of a ban on advertising and promotion of alcohol, as that would hurt the politicians friends.

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - Massachusetts - "Wellesley man pleads guilty to skimming tolls from MA drivers"   Texas - "Construction Moving Along on New Toll Road"   Washington State - "How will tolling work on 520 if you aren't 'Good to Go?' " video.

Update on empty tunnel

ABC - "Too early to say if Clem7 going broke"   ABC - "Will dismal traffic numbers pay the bills?" inc audio   Sydney Morning Herald - "Traffic woes could keep Clem7 toll low".

Indians get tough

Times of India - "Toll evasion: Contractor files 47,500 cases".

Tolls to rise on loss making road

Bay of Plenty Times - "Tolls set to rise on Route K".

Prince Charles promoting Big Blue's "congestion charging" systems

Times - "IBM to organise summit at invitation of Prince of Wales".

Call for return of tolls to New Brunswick

CBC - "NDP, Greens revive toll highway debate".

Another proposal for Con Charge in China

What's On Xiamen - "Congestion charge system proposed in Xiamen".

Bit more on Sound and fury signifying nothing

BBC - "Original Severn Bridge maintenance cost raises concern".

AGW

It's a Cold Wind that's Gonna Blow - Pajamas - "Global Cold Wave May Be Looming — This Time, the Science Is Good"   Scotsman - "t's summer, it's June, but the Scottish snow season goes on".


Tuesday 1 June 2010

Potential "unrest" in KZN

IoL - "ANC against proposed tolls ".

USA Roundup

Sundry stories - New Hampshire - "High-speed I-95 Hampton tolls reduce traffic"   Georgia - "Motorist Skips Out On Ga. 400 Toll 685 Times"   New Jersey - "Gas tax hike: Are there any reasonable alternatives?".

Poll of the uniformed

Fleet Directory - "Should the Government sell off the roads?".
There is nothing about this story on the AA site yet. But if over 75% of drivers have supported the selling off of the roads but don't expect there to be tolls, then it shows that they are as financially ignorant as the politicians. Unless those who buy the roads are given the right to collect tolls, then the Government has in effect just swapped one form of debt for another.

Sound and fury signifying nothing

Western Mail - "‘Double whammy’ fear over Severn Bridge tolls".
The Welsh politicians seem to have forgotten that the bridge that needs repairs was built by the UK Government and a lot later handed over to the concessionaire that was building the newer bridge. So it seems that if there is a cable problem with the older bridge then the UK Government is liable.
Instead of standing up for Welsh drivers and businesses by demanding that the tolls be removed, the politicians fuss about things like this nonsensical issue of the repairs or about paying with plastic money.

Toronto Toll Touts say that it will be a "carbon tax"

Star - "Ontario has ‘lost momentum’ on climate change: environment commissioner"   CBC - "Ont. environmental watchdog calls for road tolls" lot of comments   Ctv - "Road tolls recommended to help curb greenhouse gas"   Sun - "Road tolls pushed as a means to go green"   Globe & Mail - "Road tolls could help in climate-change fight, Ontario commissioner says".

The report - Environmental Commissioner of Ontario - "Broadening Ontario’s Climate Change Policy Agenda - Annual Greenhouse Gas Progress Report 2010" pdf. Not a mention in its 40 pages of a gasoline tax!
The Commissioner's biog on Wikipedia says he "has a degree in plants and wants everyone in Ontario to pay more money to drive.".

New tolls nation complains about British operator

Central Asia Online - "Tajik toll road operator chastised by commission".

Zealots to get tough

NZ Herald - "Toll-dodger faces $26,500 in fines".

Bikers to join club

Northern Advocate - "Bikers set to pay highway toll".

Mayor does not like oficial cars

Telegraph - "All our limo-loving politicians should be sent down the Tube".
As Boris should remember from his time at the Palace of Westminster, for every MP who is travelling by official cars, there will be scores using taxis. If the Mayor wants to encourage MPs to ride a bike or take the Tube, he could consider whether he is brave enough to remove the freedom of taxis to use the bus lanes and not pay the "congestion" charge.

Gas tax?

Moscow Times - "Government May Switch To Excise Tax for Drivers".
The chances of a fuel tax are slight, as tolls are far more easily diverted into private hands.

Bit more on tolls on road to nowhere

Inside Costa Rica - "MOPT Evaluates Suspension Of Tolls During Emergencies On The On San José - Caldera".

Guardian has a go at new Transport Secretary

"New transport secretary yearns for the golden era before the 'war on motorists' - Philip Hammond dashes hopes of continuing the green transport policies of last government". Will Dave now buy Philip a bike and coach him on riding the wrong way up one way streets?

Some are smarter than others when it comes to capital gains taxes

Telegraph on 30th - "Danny Alexander, new Treasury chief, avoided capital gains tax on house".

AGW