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Old February 14th 19, 12:22 PM posted to uk.transport.london
Theo[_2_] Theo[_2_] is offline
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Default Uber Representative Calls For A United Protest

Roland Perry wrote:
The cost of operating the trucks is mainly time and mileage (not a
relatively small access fee) and therefore they have that sort of thing
pretty well optimised already.


Pollution is an externality. There's not a lot of difference in road tax
between a Euro 1-5 truck and a Euro 6 truck. As a haulier, I can buy a 15
year old truck for a lot less than a new one, and the operating costs are
broadly the same (maybe the new one is more fuel efficient, but that's
probably less of a concern in London where distances aren't so large).

If a haulier wants to 'do the right thing' by running newer trucks, the risk
is they're undercut by a competitor who doesn't.

By including the costs of pollution in the bottom line, it now makes an
economic incentive to invest in newer vehicles. And the playing field is
level because everyone is under the same pressure.

It might end up costing the consumer slightly more, which comes down to the
question: do you want to live in a polluted city or don't you?
(also not to forget the costs of pollution that taxpayers pay, eg in extra
healthcare, and the way that the effects of pollution may not be evenly
distributed across the population)

Theo