ARTICLE: Motorists to be slugged in bid to double number of cyclists under NUP

[#Metro]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/taxed-off-road-pedals-power-carbon-policy/story-e6freooo-1226058741883

MOTORISTS could be forced to pay a tax on every kilometre they drive as the federal government seeks to double the number of cyclists on our roads within five years.

In its latest attack on carbon emissions, the government is also encouraging people to drive green cars - despite only two of 20 cabinet ministers driving a hybrid themselves.

The National Urban Policy vows to raise the number of people commuting by bicycle, currently just 1.56 per cent of workers, twofold by 2016 and monitor the progress of local authorities providing cycleways and footpaths.

As usual, CM could not help itself pulling another vapid "aren't you outraged" framed article that presses all the right wing ideological buttons TAX TAX TAX!!! SLUGGED!! INCOMPETENT MONEY HUNGRY GOVERNMENT AFTER YOU!!! and is rather vacuous when it comes down to actual analysis. In fact there doesn't seem to be much analysis of anything... merely description..

Here is why TAX is NOT a good word for road pricing, at least no more than " FORCED Newspaper TAX slugging families" are when you buy the Courier-Mail.

Anyway, road pricing is growing. Interesting times...

[#Metro]

http://www.humantransit.org/2011/03/watching-our-words-congestion-charge-or-price-or-shudder-tax.html

watching our words: congestion charge or price or (shudder) tax

There seems to be a flurry of new interest in congestion pricing, partly under the pressure of tight budgets almost everywhere.  But journalists can muddy the waters by describing congestion pricing as either exploitative or punitive.

Last month, I was invited to contribute to a Sydney Morning Herald thinkpiece on the subject.  My contribution, the second of four pieces here, emphasises that congestion pricing is not about paying for congestion, it's about paying to avoid congestion[/color].  The core point:

[colinw]

Oh good grief.  That Courier-Mail article is appalling.   

No attempt at any serious analysis, just a bunch of emotive words, starting with "slugged" in the headline.

[Zoiks]

The couriermail, Australian and anything else that comes out of newscorp is generally just trash