Should the congestion charge be extended across the UK?
Thu, 19/06/2008 - 11:21
I think the extension of the congestion charge is a great idea.
If the money recouped is used responsibly (in my mind, that means improved public transport links and improved infrastructure), then I fully support it.
For businesses, small ones especially, I appreciate it may prove an additional financial burden, but surely an almost tiered system whereby businesses pay less than your average commuter would work. Theirs is a basic necessity, whereas commuters have - more often than not - the option of public transport.
Less cars on the road would mean buses moving quicker (surely?), so people wouldn't be able to complain about it affecting their journey as much.
That said, it'd need a fair few to take this stance for any difference to be made.
Sat, 21/06/2008 - 07:32
I personally don't think these green taxes are being levied for the right reasons. Personally I think we are just systematically being "milked". There seems to be no overall strategy just layer after layer of extra taxation. Everybody has a finite amount of disposable income which is being rather speedily eroded. For me, one problem is that there is so much talk, and indeed evidence of, impropriety and "sleaze" that MP's points of view are met, certainly by me, with a curl of the lip and an involuntary shudder. How can you willingly surrender your moneys to people you do not trust?
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Our recent poll on whether the congestion charge should be extended
across the UK provoked a great response from Moneywise users - 79% of
people said no to extending the C-zone to other UK cities and the
majority of comments called for this "driving tax" to be scrapped
altogether.
To read what people who voted in the poll had to say about extending the congestion charge click here.
Or, share your own views below.
Personally, I think the congestion charge is good - in theory. Most of us would like to see less traffic on the roads.
But, in practice, I'm not sure the streets of central London are any quieter - and yet drivers continue to have to pay through the teeth in order to make often essential journeys by car.