BBC News site gets it right for once. Shock! Horror!
- Thread starter danfoto
- Start date
Agreed, a good article. It could have been better had he mentioned that road maintenance is funded from council tax, something which all of us pay. Only new road builds are funded by government grants. Once that new road is adopted by either the borough or county council. then it too is maintained from council tax.
Of course, he could have mentioned that a very large percentage of VED goes toward funding the Welfare State...a little to controversial for Auntie Beeb perhaps.
Of course, he could have mentioned that a very large percentage of VED goes toward funding the Welfare State...a little to controversial for Auntie Beeb perhaps.
Not all roads are maintained by local authorities, trunk roads such as A roads and motorways are maintained by the Highways Agency and paid for by the national exchequer. Not much use for cyclists though.
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Ah the Beebs clangers, some of them are classics. Only the other day on the BBC London midday news their reporter stood before a herd of fallow deer and announced:
"These are roe deer".
A swift email to the news room and the London early evening item had the video start trimmed off and a voice over announcing, "These are wild deer".
They'd obviously lost all confidence in naming any deer and wouldn't take my word for it!
Yes Indeed:
"Until cyclists have to take a test to ride on the road, get a registered bike and be required to have insurance then I won't have any sympathy for them." Chris C, Bracknell, UK
While this attitude prevails, we're in for a testing time.
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Good article and a very good point made by RobF about cyclists who own cars actually do pay road tax.
Regarding cycling and funding, I don't think the government will ever take cycling seriously. Take the £94million investment (which followed a cut of £60million in the cycling budget), this is simply a drop in the ocean much of which will be lost on expensive consultants and paperwork instead of it ever reaching a new cycleway. If they were serious about getting people back to work and cycling and the benefits it brings, they would invest in a sufficiently funded public works scheme to create new cycleways and improve others. Serious investment and improvements would also improve sales and usage of bikes and peoples health.
Another point on roads and road tax funding is billions is spent creating new roads when the present road system cannot even be maintained - as those of us on 2 wheels dodging potholes can vouch for.
Regarding cycling and funding, I don't think the government will ever take cycling seriously. Take the £94million investment (which followed a cut of £60million in the cycling budget), this is simply a drop in the ocean much of which will be lost on expensive consultants and paperwork instead of it ever reaching a new cycleway. If they were serious about getting people back to work and cycling and the benefits it brings, they would invest in a sufficiently funded public works scheme to create new cycleways and improve others. Serious investment and improvements would also improve sales and usage of bikes and peoples health.
Another point on roads and road tax funding is billions is spent creating new roads when the present road system cannot even be maintained - as those of us on 2 wheels dodging potholes can vouch for.
I am happy to pay VED /Road Tax or whatever on my bikes at the same rate as cars. As both bikes have Zero emissions the tax rate would be £0. In fact the rate for some 1.6L diesels is £0.
What I would resent paying would be cost of thousands of civil servants/consultants/police etc required to run the system. Would I need to register the bikes, have a tax disk, apply for SORN for any old Raleigh that I might have rotting in the attic/garage/garden? At what size would a bike become taxable? Will the DVLA send inspectors into primary schools in case little Mary has failed to report that she no longer uses stabilisers?
More water with it Nigel, more water.
What I would resent paying would be cost of thousands of civil servants/consultants/police etc required to run the system. Would I need to register the bikes, have a tax disk, apply for SORN for any old Raleigh that I might have rotting in the attic/garage/garden? At what size would a bike become taxable? Will the DVLA send inspectors into primary schools in case little Mary has failed to report that she no longer uses stabilisers?
More water with it Nigel, more water.
The Highway code say take care of vulnerable road users , so car and van drivers take care out there watch out for bikes and pedestrians
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