Surely an elitist solution...

Have picked this Times article up from ConservativeHome.

The Tories are suggesting charging for the use of express lanes to help ease traffic congestion by ensuring these lanes remain congestion free. They already have these lanes in America so the idea is not new and as far as I know the lanes are successful in achieving their purpose.

What interests me about this idea is the claim the lanes are not elitist. Any charge that you can chose to pay if you want to or avoid if you don’t surely means the rich will pay the charge as they can afford it and the poor will not. Essentially giving us a two tier system on our roads.

Now I fully support the reduction of congestion on our roads, I just don’t see how this is going to do it. There is no incentive to stop using your car with this proposal, just a way of making some extra money and providing the rich with a quick way to work.

I would much rather see the money being spent on express lanes spent on public transport and incentives to stop people using their car.