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Road Classification
"Barry Salter" wrote in message
... On Tue, 16 Dec 2003 17:10:23 +0000 (UTC), "Terry Harper" wrote: I've often wondered why the MoT/DoT/DEFRA uses a system designed to confuse, and why they don't adopt the US method of showing roads which share routes on the signposts. Hence you could follow A34 all the way, rather than have to know that you need to use the A43/M40/M42/M6 to pick it up again. Or how about the European Route Numbering System? [1] For example, the good old E15 which, in the UK, runs from Dover to Wick, via the A20, M20, M25, A282 (Dartford Crossing), M25, A1(M), A1, [Repeat A1(M) and A1 as necessary], A720, A8, A902, A90, M90, A9 and A99. A distance of 738 miles! Or the rather odd E32, which runs the 16 miles of A120 from Harwich to Colchester. When you come to think of it, the E-road system is analogous with the US-Highway system, which follows state roads at times, usually with the US-Highway taking precedence. It is very comforting there to be able to see a set of road numbers on a post, which included the number of the one which you are following. Of course, you can be headed in the opposite direction to the one you want:-) -- Terry Harper, Web Co-ordinator, The Omnibus Society http://www.omnibussoc.org E-mail: URL: http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/ |
New M6 Toll road opens,road for fools ?
"Mark Fry" wrote in message ... Regarding funding, that would be true if the funding from the crossing went to pay for more crossings, but this isn't the case. When the bridge was constructed it a joint venture involving a company called Trafalgar House, amongst others. Not too long ago the company controlling the crossing has become a French company called Le Crossing, so do you think the revenue generated by Le crossing will be funding more Le Crossings? I doubt it. And if my costs do increase, I pass them on to the distributor / shipper, who in turn passes them on to the consumer, which is you! We are already paying enough taxes, why should we have to pay more. Errrrmmm, to build more roads? |
New M6 Toll road opens,road for fools ?
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New M6 Toll road opens,road for fools ?
Clearly Europeans believe something different, that constructing
motorways is rather like handing dollops of money over to a select few. This is considered unnacceptable, and hence their roads are tolled. In some countries yes, but then their petrol tax is a lot lower to compensate. However, Germany's motorways are not tolled, and yet they have the most comprehensive motorway network in Europe. Why can't we? Our motorways weren't tolled from the start as it was believed that if you have a road, you may as well let as many people use it as they want, as there is (was) zero marginal cost of extra cars. This isn't really the case anymore due to congestion. Congestion which is due to cars becoming more affordable, hence not only the rich can afford them; and also women breaking free and getting their own car after decades of being told to stay at home and do the cooking. Surely these trends are a very good thing. The thing is it is about choices. Individuals choose whether or not to drive, whether or not to use the M6toll or the old M6. With things like healthcare, there is no choice involved, you either need it or you don't. No, it's the exact same argument. Either you take the free option (M6 / NHS) or the pay-extra option (M6 Toll / Private health care). However, with the amount of taxes we pay, we should not have to suffer a substandard M6 or NHS, and we shouldn't even have to consider paying a premium for a decent service. This is the heart of the problem, any Government subsidy or tax effectively takes choice away from individuals, and distorts the market. In most cases this leads to a sub-optimal allocation of resources. Yes, which is why private firms build the roads, the govt just pays them to. The nice thing about tolls is that it automatically takes account of this, if the people making their local journeys consider their journey "unimportant" they will be unwilling to pay £2-3. If they long distance traffic considers its journey important then they will pay for it. Everyone considers their journey to be "important" or even "essential". But the proof of the pudding is whether they are prepared to pay for it. And what if they can't afford it? A poor man's important journey to a job interview may have to stay on the M6 because he can't afford to pay the toll, whereas a rich man's trip to play golf can use the Toll because he's got bags of spare cash. |
New M6 Toll road opens,road for fools ?
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New M6 Toll road opens,road for fools ?
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