C-Charge for bikes - what a joke!!

[marchesini]

"Motorcyclists and scooter riders could be forced to pay the congestion charge in a U-turn by transport chiefs.

They are considering hitting riders who enter the zone with the £5-a-day fee, which would net £750,000 a week for Transport for London."



Generally speaking, I guess not too many things get under my skin but for fecks sake, this is the biggest crock of s hite I have heard in a long time. A congestion charge for motorbikes because we all know how much they block the roads and contribute to gridlock in the capital!

While other cities around the UK are opening up bus lanes and putting more secure bike bays to encourage PTW's (posh word for motorbikles), Ken or Tony or some other twat in central office thinks "hey, tell them that bikes are an integral part of our transport policy and as such are exempt from the C-Charge. Then when they've all bought scooters on a 3 year finance deal, hit them with the C-charge and we just watch the cash come rolling in. They all have stupid bearded cretins and will be too high on (decriminalised) cannabis to even know their being shafted - brilliant!!"

This type of idiocy and victimisation really gets to me because I can see no logic in this at all - other than to make money - which if that's what they wanted to do and came out and said it, it would at least be understandable but ....... oh, I'd better stop and sit down with a horlicks - all this anger is bringing back thoughts of the past (which is a place I'd much rather not revisit).

For the bull s hite on this, see here:

lookie here to see another way to get fleeced (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/londonnews/articles/17473896?source=Evening%20Standard)

fuming from fadgewell

[Fodder]

That is absolutely disgusting. Motorcyclists help to ease the congestion surely?
I don't even live in the UK anymore but that has incensed me, that is extorsion at the highest level.
What next? a pavement tax for pedestrians.

Having just read the article it seems it will be a safety tax to dissuade the usage of motorcycles so that they can get the accident figures down in central London. What ever happened to choice? We know the risks and we choose to ride, stop making our choices for us. Getting more nanny and risk free by the day...

[marchesini]

Motorcyclists help to ease the congestion surely?.

Well, they did last year but it seems that this year we are not helping to cut the NHS waiting lists so have become another easy target. Well, let's hope that MCN (for all it's faults), starts another petition to get rid of this idiotic proposal before it becomes reality.

Best regards

simon

[Bruza]

Got this mailed today...

http://www.eu4ia.plus.com/pol/j.htm

[spacemonkey]

Didn't I predict this a while back? The ONLY reason they haven't charged for bikes yet is the fact that the !*!*!*!*ty camera system only works on front facing plates.I was expecting to see front plates first. Ken is a bastard who just sees his power as a means to screw more money out of us so that he can spend more on his socialist dream. Doesn't it seem bizarre that this country's capital of capitalism-our Golden Goose-has a commited commie socialist at it's helm? Maybe because the majority of the city's wealthy workers and business owners live outside of the GLA and only the peasants can vote for the mayor...

[slob]

If this is about congestion and the environment how about a tax on diseasels, taxis, buses and coaches full of damned tourists pumping out filth! As everyone has said we're easing congestion, I suspect the bean counters are a bit shocked at the number of car drivers who bought twist and go scooters rather than use public transport or pay the charge(if you've ever used the northern or central lines in the rush hour, you wouldn't be and forget about buses if you need to be somewhere). What next c-charge for pedestrians and cyclists for ****s sake, welcome back to the poll tax!
... or in other words, what they said.
I've previously thought Ken was OK, speaking his mind, sticking to his guns etc.etc. honest politicians are something we could do with more of but he seems to have lost the plot completely of late with mobile phone/internet access on the tube and now this. I've got to go now and write a rude letter to the mayor, cya.

[slob]

just found this

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/nav?page=motorcyclenews.articles.articleCategory.a rticle&resourceId=2090840&articleCategory=NEWS_OTHER-NEWS

'accidents falling despite increased numbers of bikes and scooters in the zone'...
hardly surprising when the vast majority of motorcycle accidents are caused by myopic car drivers, who are being persuaded to stay out of central London.

[stef]

since it's a national sport where i come from, i suggest we start stacking up on flamable liquids and start gathering the flocks.
if this was to be considered further, i am sure a ride into London will be well worth it. i read in Ride this month that riders descended en mass, when the government was making the leg protectors compulsary, back in the 70'. its a democracy, lets remind them who the government works for.
I'd be riding down from Leeds to show support, for sure, as usually the other major cities will follolw suit on what happens in London.

[slob]

Ah, it's good to know you can rely on the French for a bit of (un)civil protest Stef.
You seem so much less apathetic than us Brits when it comes to letting the powers that be know how you feel.
I think perhaps flammable liquids may be going a bit far, unless we're talking about 105 proof Wild Turkey of course.

[Didge]

When will these lefty idiots like 'Newt' Livingstone understand one simple little fact:-
THE BLOODY PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM IS VIRTUALLY ON IT'S KNEES DURING THE PEAK PERIODS WHEN MOST PEOPLE HAVE TO GO TO AND FROM WORK.

I should know, because I drive Northern Line trains, and despite us running to maximum line capacity, the bloody trains are heaving in the peak periods.
The fact that they are even THINKING about charging two-wheeler's, proves that it NOT about congestion, but all about making as much money as possible.
Everyone in this country, have got to vote these Labour tw*ts out, because I for one, am sick and bloody tired of being taxed left right and centre.
As a single bloke, (and I have no kids), I pay the highest level of income tax, and am eligible for virtually nothing back.
My council tax has a 25% discount (WOW!), because I live on my own.
Now this crap.
It's never going to end with with these socialist parasites in power.
Remember how they award themselves huge pay increases, and despite stealing £5 billion from our Pension funds, they ensured that their pensions are the best there is.
Sh*t, this caused me to go into a bloody rant!

[Dark-Jon]

It's Labour Didge, and my Dad always maintaned Labour got equality by making everyone poor. Never listened to him when I was younger but it all seems to make sense now :eek:

Scarily I'm actually gonna get off my butt and vote in the next general election, first time ever as I've never really agreed with any party enough to vote for them, but I've had enough of Labour and Blair doing what they want all the time and feel its time for a change, just like when everyone voted the Tories out.

I'm not pro anyone else mind you, just not Labour again :)

DJ

[Didge]

It's Labour Didge, and my Dad always maintaned Labour got equality by making everyone poor. Never listened to him when I was younger but it all seems to make sense now :eek:

Scarily I'm actually gonna get off my butt and vote in the next general election, first time ever as I've never really agreed with any party enough to vote for them, but I've had enough of Labour and Blair doing what they want all the time and feel its time for a change, just like when everyone voted the Tories out.

I'm not pro anyone else mind you, just not Labour again :)

DJ

Ditto mate!

[A Yerbury]

I would vote but the old electoral role thing has caused problems in the past... :rolleyes: Livingstone is a vain tit, the recent hypocrisy re the accusations between himself and the mail/standard was sickening! The clown worked for these rags! as freelance restaurant critic! (very new labour) and is still bitter about being given the elbow. I preferred him in the olden days when he had a tache. Didge you're not wrong, rush hour is a joke, and it gets worse each year, it used to take 4/5 trains just to position oneself near a door (this was Finsbury Park)
Alex.
ps I think I will keep the French plates...more molatov than mazel tov.

[spacemonkey]

"Both motorcycles and scooters are exempt from the congestion charge as they do not cause congestion. The Mayor wishes to make it crystal clear that he has absolutely no intention whatsoever of making scooters and motorcycles pay congestion charge. Motorbikes and scooters will not be charged."


Hmm.. don't forget that when the toll came out:

"I can't conceive of any circumstances in the foreseeable future where we would want to change the charge, although perhaps 10 years down the line it may be necessary."

So if you believe that Ken has absolutely no plans to charge bikes then you are the kind of gullible plonker who will vote him back in again, along with the rest of those saprophitic pratts in Downing Street. Bastards the lot of them...