Currently reading: 'Motorways should be privatised'

Senior MP calls on David Cameron to sell off Britian's motorway network to private firms

Britain’s motorways must be privatised to allow for a reduction in fuel duty tax.

That is the view of the chairman of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee Tim Yeo.

Yeo, a former shadow environment and transport minister, has warned prime minister David Cameron that in order to meet his pledges on the environment, he must begin privatising the roads, as well as introducing wholesale road taxing.

Tory MP Yeo also claimed that the funds created by privatising the motorway network would allow for a reduction in fuel duty tax, benefiting those who use the roads less.

He added that the London congestion charge scheme, which is currently one of only a handful of road pricing plans operating in the country, is “crude and unimaginative”.

By contrast, Yeo said the M6 toll relief road around Birmingham had proven extremely popular with motorists, helping to ease motorway congestion.

He also encouraged Cameron to introduce a plan to allocate personal carbon credits to each motorist in Britain. When a person’s allocation is used up, they would then have to “buy” more credits from other motorists.

As part of a recent poll, the AA asked its members whether they would support parts of the British motorway network being sold off to be managed by private firms.

Almost seven in 10 of AA members said they would not oppose the idea, but many also felt that the maintenance of the sold off motorway sections should be paid for by the government, and not by the introduction of toll charges.

Paul Watters, the AA’s head of roads policy, said: “Although the poll shows some sympathy with the plight of the public finances and need for solutions to fix them, it is hardly surprising that drivers don’t want to pay twice for the roads that they regard as having already been paid for over the years through their fuel duty and road tax”.

Darren Moss

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fast ed 21 July 2010

Re: 'Motorways should be privatised'

sportwagon wrote:
It would be better to nationalise the M6 Toll

I use the M6 toll quite often, when I'm going south it saves in excess of 1/2hr in travel time in comparison to using the original M6 with all the traffic and roadworks.

It really depends if you are willing to spend £5 to save time.

Its a great road, little traffic, smooth surface, very few police and average speed has to be 90+ for most cars

Curmudgeon 21 July 2010

Re: 'Motorways should be privatised'

david RS wrote:
I see another problem. When you go to the French Riviera - Nice for instance - you have many tolls. That causes many traffic jams and consequently pollution. But it's bizzarre, we never speak of it.

Yes, nice though the weather can be a couple of visits was enough. It's the sort of thing one puts up with on holiday but not something I'd want to live with.

Dr.Car 21 July 2010

Re: 'Motorways should be privatised'

dutchmaestro wrote:

when will you saps realise that Clarkson is just an establishment tool? he has made a fortune out of playing the dissenter to the established order, but is in fact a core part of the status quo. his prime concern is maximising revenue for himself from his now unwatchably crap, self-indulgent show, top gear. for the BBC and the elite more widely he serves the puropse of being a on-side release valve for the pent up frustration most of the population have with the way they are governed. if you think clarkson and his kind are your salvation you really are emotionally and intellectually stunted.

Yeo is a known bought and paid lobbyist and shill for 'green power' interests - google yeo and guy fawkes' order order. he is, as has been said above, the UK equivalent of Al Gore. anyone who reads up on his background would dismiss this clown for his transparent motivations. as to selling off the roads he is but the figurehead of interests behind the scenes who know that UK is bust - £5 trillion debt latest figure? - and is forced to flog off the remaining family silver. why no mention in this report that banker N.M.Rothschild had already said publicly before the general election that selling off the roads would raise £100bn for HM Treasury? the bankers and one rung down corporatists are behind the likes of yeo, knowing that what remains of the UK's common wealth is being readied for final slicing off. again, if you fall for it, like global warming, you deserve everything - higher energy bills, further controls on your freedom of movement, increased deaths thru cold in winter due to lack of generation and unaffordable bills - you and your family will have coming.

Eh its maybe a joke?