Follow on to car jacking thread

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Tue 27 Nov 2001 13:35
Follow on to car jacking thread - Stuart B
Did anyone hear the phone in on R4 this lunchtime?

Just got the end of it but it seemed to be focussed on airlines and environment.

One woman asked the interviewee, (who I assume to be a Govt spokesman judging by the mealy mouthed nature of his answers) why if the environmental argument was valid for road transport did it not apply to airlines re duty free fuel, and why dual standards were being applied.

The answer was that two different situations apply. UK fuel duty is there because its a travel contained within the UK situation, whereas airlines are operating an import/export business and it needs the whole world to agree on duties.

My thoughts, what about domestic flights?

Next time I put thick end of £50's worth of diesel in how far do you think I would get with the line that I should not pay duty am on my way to a meeting re exporting UK products and importing some wine, beer & ciggies.

Really this makes my blood boil and is just typical of the lack of joined up thinking of this shower of incompetents in Government etc.

Sort of semi seriously.
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Tue 27 Nov 2001 17:17
Re: Follow on to car jacking thread - Brian
Stuart
You simply don't understand how Government minds work!

Aircraft: carry (say) 1/2% of passenger movements. Highly fuel inefficient, noise footprint extends over large area: therefore encourage use, predict passenger numbers years ahead and provide whatever airport capacity and associated links are required to cope.

Rail: carries about 2% of passenger movements. Only travels between centres of population. Requires massive subsidies and high fares. Infrastructure dates from the middle of the 19th century. Therefore encourage use.

Road: carries 95% of passenger movements. serves every dwelling house and business door to door, all costs borne by user and contributes £35 billion to the Treasury each year. Therefore discourage use by every means possible.

What could be more logical?
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Tue 27 Nov 2001 22:18
Re: Follow on to car jacking thread - Jonathan
Was that last comment aimed at anyone particular in the cabinet?
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