Pollution Free Cities: Is it time to recover the costs of road use from car drivers?

Friday, September 14, 2012

Is it time to recover the costs of road use from car drivers?

The war on motorists: Myth or reality? (33 page pdf, Lisa Hopkinson , Institute for Public Policy Research, Aug. 23, 2012)

The title of the report reviewed today represents the retort to any attempt by government to reduce the costs imposed on society by car drivers by reducing the subsidies to them, in the face of ever increasing traffic and the impacts on health that this brings. In the UK the government spends $9 B on roads and the costs range up to $56 B per year. Among the recommendations is a call for extracting some of these costs
by putting a price on road use.

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Key Quotes :

"This paper addresses the perception that there is a 'war' being waged on motoring: that government is using motorists as a ‘cash cow’ and that spending on roads and transport is failing to keep pace with increases in transport-related tax”

“Car traffic increased by nearly 15 per cent in the 20 years fr om 1990 to 2010, though with a slight decline from 2007.. government is forecasting significant increases in traffic by 2035”

“In 2010, government [in the UK] spent around £9 billion on roads, representing 40 per cent of total public spending on transport”

“the costs to society of car travel are considerable – these include congestion, road casualties, greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, noise, and physical inactivity. Estimates of these social and environmental externalities range up to £56 billion in total – even excluding congestion costs, they are well over £32 billion”

Recommendations:

“Motoring taxes are not as high as people think…government should make every effort to avoid further delays in fuel duty increases”
“New ways should be found to r educe the externalities caused by road traffic. Road pricing is the most effective way to address one of the externalities – congestion..”
“ Measures to improve bus and coach services, which are the most accessible form of public transport, particularly in areas with poor rail connections, should also be prioritized"
” Improvements in public transport, walking and cycling facilities should also be supported through an increase in government support for transport capital projects”.
” Government should update its account of the external costs of transport, including all externalities and incorporating new estimates and research”