Working parties to thrash out Bath's cycling priorities

“"Hundreds of thousands of people have discovered that their transport future is lying in their garage under a pile of disused barbecue equipment."

A well written forward by Boris Johnson in the recently issued TfL's 'The Mayor's Vision for Cycling in London'. (pdf)
http://tinyurl.com/b3dj4ky

Definitely worth a read.

HenryCrun said "so the "everyone pays" principle still stands."
True. To be clear I wasn't disagreeing with you, just making sure the facts were clear.

lamail said "responsible approach to spending public money might be -" what do we need and how much will it cost?""
If you did that, the figure would end up in the millions. Be careful what you wish for.”

“You might have thought that a responsible approach to spending public money might be -" what do we need and how much will it cost?" - as opposed to" we've got £500,000 - anybody any ideas how we can spend it?"”

“"Most people are under huge pressure trying to pay the mortgage, feed the family, put fuel in the car, which they need to take the kids to school, get to work, travel around during the day and go shopping in, because there is no other way they can get to all the places they need to get to, when they need to get to them."

Demonstrably well beyond the faculties of the writer of the above, and evidently everyone else, as no-one has pick up on it, but isn't the demographic described in the above quote the one which might benefit from this project?”

“Good thought, MrNemo. I'd take it even further and make cycle training a compulsory first step before anyone (able bodied) gets behind the wheel. It's the ideal way to learn your road skills with the added bonus that the us-and-them hostility ceases because everyone is a skilled and trained cyclist first and a driver second.

However this is way beyond your typical Brit petro-junkie's comprehension so I for one don't for one minute expect them to understand.

It's also beyond the remit of this £500k, the best use of it would be to remove the conflict as far as possible - separate the cars from people. It's the only policy that has worked so far, at least in 21st Century Europe. Somewhere where you don't currently live.”

“Oops! 20,000 Euros.”

“The subsidy of 2,000 Euros per registered vehicle is annual, over a decade this is 200,000 Euros, a not inconsiderable sum.

It's about time the taxpayer became aware of such societal parasites, parasites who feel entitled to make bogus claims and false accusations.”

“Motorists,
You are subsidised! Stop suggesting that you subsidise others, that is a falsehood. Just because you pay fuel duty and Vehicle Excise Duty, doesn't mean that you pay either the full costs of motoring, or that you pay more than your fair share. Even after paying fuel-duty and VED, the average registered vehicle in the UK is subsidised by just over 2,000 Euros, 2008 figure, 2012 report. The subsidy is from taxation.

Report
http://tinyurl.com/bjsoawn

Note the subsidy excludes costs of congestion which costs around £20 billion per year.
VED a voluntary payment, If you wish not to pay, get a band-A vehicle.

And please stop whining!”

“Motorists,
You are subsidised! Stop suggesting that you subsidise others, that is a falsehood. Just because you pay fuel duty and Vehicle Excise Duty, doesn't mean that you pay either the full costs of motoring, or that you pay more than your fair share. Even after paying fuel-duty and VED, the average registered vehicle in the UK is subsidised by just over 2,000 Euros, 2008 figure, 2012 report. The subsidy is from taxation.

Report
http://tinyurl.com/bjsoawn

Note the subsidy excludes costs of congestion which costs around £20 billion per year.
VED a voluntary payment, If you wish not to pay, get a band-A vehicle.

And please stop whining!”

“Sadly Jezer, we aren't all financially secure retired people living in North Wiltshire with no pressure in our lives and time to pedal merrily around without a care in the world

Most people are under huge pressure trying to pay the mortgage, feed the family, put fuel in the car, which they need to take the kids to school, get to work, travel around during the day and go shopping in, because there is no other way they can get to all the places they need to get to, when they need to get to them.

For most people, if this process causes you some irritation because you would rather they disappear and leave you alone to pedal around in isolation and impugnity all day, then that really is tough luck.

Cities that make it impossible for people to live the way they are forced to live will simply find that they will go elsewhere. As you yourself seem to have done.”

“DaveF_Walcot: Highways Agency still funded by general taxation, so the "everyone pays" principle still stands.”