"Their" roads????

[LollyKat]

www.gov.uk/government/news/26-billion-expected-taxpayers-savings-from-road-agency-reforms

Motorists are set to benefit from a more effective road network and will have a greater say in how their roads operate.

"I also want motorists to have a greater say in how their roads are run and that is why I have proposed an independent watchdog - free from government - is set up to make sure the Highways Agency is delivering the wants, needs and expectations of motorists."

I don't think I like the sound of this......

[snibgo]

Robert Goodwill is the new cycling minister. "I am delighted to have cycling… it’s a big passion of mine as people know."

The consultation on turning the Highways Agency into a company recognises that roads are not just for motorists. The HA are also responsible for a shared-use path that I regularly use.

I hope this misguided motor-centric spin is a temporary blip.

[Ayesha]

Count the kms driven by motorists against the kms ridden by cyclists.
Democratic majority applies in this country, and is how government works.
Who can blame a government official for applying those ideals to road use.

[[XAP]Bob]

Count the kms driven by motorists against the kms ridden by cyclists.
Democratic majority applies in this country, and is how government works.
Who can blame a government official for applying those ideals to road use.

Except that it doesn't quite.

We also have a significant history of supporting minorities and particularly vulnerable minorities.

[snibgo]

Roads don't belong to motorists, cyclists, pedestrians or any other group. They belong to everyone.

[Mark1978]

'Democracy' isn't always the answer. Of course we don't have full democracy in this country - by that I mean we don't have a referedum on every change in government policy - we have a representative system. True democracy would of course be a bad way to go about things with the majority getting their way over everything but a significant minority left out in the cold.

[MartinC]

One view of democracy is that it's the divine right of the 51%. Their are many other more inclusive and pluralistic views though.

[snibgo]

20% of adults live in a household without a car. That's a significant minority.

[AlaninWales]

OK, so I've written to my MP asking him to ask Mr Goodwill why he believes that roads are the property of motorists, why he specifically excludes the "needs, wants and expectations" of other road users from the remit of this agency and why road users other than motorists should not also have a greater say in how our roads are run.
I have also pointed out that motorists do not pay for the roads (which are paid for from general taxation), that some 20% of households do not have access to a car (but still need to use the roads) and that by making the remit of the proposed independant body that of representing "the wants,needs and expectations of motorists" he is running contrary to the stated aims of parliament to increase the levels of active transport in this country.

We'll see whether they do work for us

[Adam S]

I posted on another thread about the ownership of land which constitutes a highway being a separate issue from the rights which exist over that highway and that's relevant here. The land may or may not be public, the tarmac surface of a road is owned by the highway authority but the rights existing over the highway are equal across all classes of the public, irrespective of their mode of conveyance or entitlement to vote

[Ayesha]

Roads don't belong to motorists, cyclists, pedestrians or any other group. They belong to everyone.

They belong to the Queen. So it’s a Monarchy.
The roads were paved to allow Royal Mail coaches a smoother transit with less risk of breakdown.
Then came the bicycle. Cyclists used the existing road network because, you guessed it, they were smoother than rutted tracks.
Motorcars used them for the same reason.

Today, roads exist to give Royal Mail trucks, vans and cyclists easy access to all areas of the country. Adults in the UK pay their Council tax, part of which pays to maintain roads and build new ones. This way, the cost of a postage stamp is kept low ???

Motorised vehicle users pay a series of taxes to be privileged to use the roads. They pay VAT on the vehicle, an additional car purchase tax, registration fees, an additional levy on fuel and a ‘Road fund’ charge.
Cyclists only pay VAT on their equipment.
Her Majesty pays nothing. Jaguar Land Rover supply her vehicles. No Road Fund Licence, no registration fees and no insurance. If she bumps into you, its because she OWNS the road.

[BSRU]

Her Majesty pays nothing. Jaguar Land Rover supply her vehicles. No Road Fund Licence, no registration fees and no insurance. If she bumps into you, its because she OWNS the roads.

She does not have a driving licence either.

[snibgo]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that she does have a licence, acquired when she was in the army motor pool or something.

Incidentally, I keep being credited with other people's words. It's very flattering, but ...

[BSRU]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that she does have a licence, acquired when she was in the army motor pool or something.

You are correct, issued in 1945, she does not actually need one to drive legally the public highway.

[[XAP]Bob]

Isn't RFL what got scrapped. Do we not pay VED nowadays