We’re all saddled with road charges
IT is wrong to claim (Letters) that cyclists do not contribute to our roads since local roads are paid for out of council tax. Eighty-five per cent of net revenue expenditure is given by the UK and Scottish Governments to councils by way of a block grant. Cyclists enjoy specialist facilities built specifically for them but they pay very little towards this infrastructure. In addition, motorists pay fuel duty and VAT of 77.85p for every litre of fuel. Time for a cycle tax. Clark Cross, linlithgow, West lothian. THE vast majority of cyclists are also drivers and so most will be paying tax on the purchase of their vehicle, road tax, fuel tax at an eye-watering rate – and the invidious insurance tax too. Not contributing to the roads? Don’t make me laugh! F. Beattie, edinburgh. RACING to force drivers off the road with traffic-free Sundays and now a tax on workplace parking (Mail), Edinburgh is ahead in the battle to force us all onto bikes or public transport. Trouble is, many of us live too far out of Edinburgh to cycle and public transport is for Mon-Fri, 9-5 workers. If, like me, you start early or finish late – tough.
alan Wilson, Musselburgh, e lothian. HOW funny that Glasgow, trying to wage war on drivers, should have its showcase cycling event (Mail) marred by punctures caused by potholes. andy Jenkins,
Glasgow. I DON’T care if half the planet watched the European Championships on TV. The bottom line here was that Glasgow city centre was at a standstill on two weekends to accommodate bike races while thousands were inconvenienced by road closures and traffic jams for a time trial. For all the green and cycling lobbies want us on out bikes, we don’t have the climate of France or Italy, where biking is huge, or the infrastructure (and flat terrain) of countries such as the Netherlands and Denmark.
k. loGan, Glasgow.