National road pricing

The draft Bill that will pave the way for national road pricing was today published for public consultation and Parliamentary scrutiny. Here is a link to the Local Transport Bill (pdf).

The Bill proposes amendments to existing legislation, so that local authorities that wish to introduce local road pricing schemes in their area may do so without much ado.

The Fisherman is reading through the Bill and will keep you informed.

Public consultation closes on 7 September. One must wonder, though, why they are even making a pretense of wanting the public's views. The public made clear what they thought of this proposal by signing a petition on the Downing Street website against road pricing. Despite that petition receiving almost two million signatures, ministers have pressed ahead with the project. How on earth they think they can now deceive us into thinking our views matter, one wonders.

And as for 'parliamentary scrutiny', don't hold your breath. If this Bill really does get properly scrutinised, becoming a workable Act without so much as a trace of sloppy drafting, then it will be an exceptional achievement under this most incompetent of Governments.