The number of electric cars currently in service in this country is expected to explode to around 25 million by 2035. While this green transition will help the government achieve its lofty climate change ambitions, not having to pay for fuel. putting in vehicles will likely see traffic jam. Now, a report by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, founded by the former prime minister, wants the government to pass road pricing, which could see drivers billed based on when, where, and how far. they drive.
Experts at the think tank believe congestion on UK roads will be such a big problem by 2040 that the average time drivers could spend in traffic will triple 32 hours from today’s nine hours.
It is also estimated that the switch to electric cars could cost the Treasury up to £ 260 billion in fuel duties and vehicle tax.
The authors of the new report believe the huge sums the government will lose from not selling petrol and diesel will result in an income tax hike of six percent per pound to make up the difference.
The researchers put forward a proposal that suggests that drivers could be charged a flat rate for every kilometer driven, with all motorists each being allocated an indeterminate number of free kilometers each year.
But this is unlikely to be introduced, the report warned, as it would not have the desired impact on heavy traffic jams.
The report also proposes the introduction of charges based on geography, much like what has been observed in recent years with the congestion zone on some of London’s busiest roads.
Alternatively, a sliding scale of costs based on the duration of each trip could be implemented.
A fourth proposal suggests that a system similar to that used in Singapore could be accelerated, where higher costs are applied to the most congested routes at the busiest hours of the day.
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The authors of the report state: “The main factor common to all road pricing models is that they come with significant design issues and trade-offs, which means that, as it is, none of them. is politically attractive.
“The collective challenge we face is figuring out how to cope with these challenges, or risk sleepwalking in all the downsides of a ‘do nothing’ scenario.”
But while making proposals, the report warns that any change in the cost of car trips could be “seen as an attack on motorists.”
However, the authors continue: “The government should take action now to signal its direction of travel; whereas it intends to introduce some form of road toll in the near future to compensate for the loss of the fuel tax; whereas it will use this opportunity to reduce the external costs of driving, providing benefits both to motorists and to society in general; and that he will come up with proposals on how to do this over the next 12 months. “
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The AA said the report still fell into the trap of “road pricing,” a topic the chairman of the breakdown service discussed with Mr Blair 15 years ago.
Edmund King said: “This report, while well intentioned, by not wanting to alienate drivers, still falls into the ‘road pricing’ trap.
Even calling it ‘road pricing’ means it is likely to backfire on the public.
“History has shown that the simple concept of ‘road pricing’ will never be popular with drivers and is often described as a ‘survey tax on wheels’.
“I discussed this with Tony Blair in Downing Street in 2006.”
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This notice was published: 2021-08-31 13:47:00
