Drivers fork out �400bn—but don’t get service we pay for
Dear Ed, IT IS party conference time and politicians will be after our votes. Some respect for millions of motorists is overdue. We have paid �400bn to public funds since 1997, but haven’t had the service we paid for
From the Association of British Drivers:
Dear Ed,
IT IS party conference time and politicians will be after our votes. Some respect for millions of motorists is overdue. We have contributed more than �400 billion to public funds since 1997, but haven't had the service we have paid for.
Laws are now so complicated that official bodies have to refund millions for improperly-levied motoring fines and parking penalties. Yet new government rules will land heavy costs on many innocent drivers who successfully challenge prosecutions that should never have been brought in the first place.
'Trial by camera' is error-prone and overlooks the fact that most accidents are not caused by speed. Instead, we need more police patrols which can catch drunk and drugged drivers.
Instead of wasting millions on developing unpopular road-pricing schemes, the next government should make best use of existing road space and stop the gratuitous removal of road space by different authorities.
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Increasing congestion does not help anyone, nor does driver fatigue through longer journey times. The government should resist temptation to reduce 'safe speed' limits on main roads and repair deteriorating roads which cause accidents.
Cash-strapped authorities should look to improve safety more cost-effectively by engineering out the hazards and by ongoing education of road users.
BRIAN GREGORY, Chairman
Association of British Drivers
fairdeal@abd.org.uk PO Box 13199, London SW6 6ZU
