[milton-chat] Road pricing petition

[David Barr]

The problem with using taxes to refine behaviour is it principally affects
those on low incomes.  Those with more disposable income will pay the tax,
will be pleased the "riff-raff" are off the streets and on the bus, and
happy the traffic is better.  Politicans need to think more inventively
about using financial incentives to change behaviours.  

A comparison with London is rather limited.  Only a small proportion of
London is in the congestion zone.  It is the centre not the suburbs that are
affected. Cambridge is looking to cover the whole city.  So every voter is
directly affected. For that reason it won't happen.  If it does it is
political suicide.  Even Ken Livingstone wouldn't be that stupid. 

Anyway what's wrong with a traffic jam? (Oops shouldn't have said that!) If
we don't like them, we should change our behaviours and avoid them.  But
somehow we don't, we sit it out, moan or become principled, and point
fingers at everyone else.

David

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