Peter Jackson column

Mar 8 2007 By Peter Jackson, The Journal

Governments can take away our ancient liberties, they can take us into costly foreign wars and they can tax us until the pips squeak, but we, the great British public remain docile.

But, let Government dare interfere with our right to drive and we rise up, waving our pitchforks as we march on Whitehall.

Tony Blair has twice discovered this truth, once during the great fuel protest of 2000, and now, once more, with the 1.6 million signature petition against road pricing.

Clearly there is a problem with congestion on our roads and it is not going to get any easier. So why the vehement objections to road pricing?

What really annoys people is the knowledge that the Government will not use road pricing to replace road tax or petrol duty, but as a supplement to them.

Furthermore, the extra money it raises will not go to pay for improvements in public transport, but towards some other worthy scheme such as the state funding of political parties.

This is a pity because the problem is not going to go away. Road space is finite, even if we tarmac over the entire country, and some way will have to be found to ration its use.

I would argue that the best means of rationing is by price, but not through the sort of system proposed by the Government.

I have argued before for a scheme whereby every adult citizen is given an equal annual driving mileage allowance, set by the state at a level which is deemed environmentally acceptable. The citizen should then be free to sell their unused miles, or buy extra, through a national exchange, at prices dictated by supply and demand.

This will allow the old lady who does not drive to supplement her income, while those careless of making needless journeys will pay for the privilege.

And the beauty of it is that it will mean no more money for the Treasury, so mileage limits would be set for the benefit of the environment and no other reason.

In fact, it's such a good idea that David Miliband has stolen it, floating the idea in a speech on Monday of drivers buying and selling their personal carbon allowances.

Remember, you read it here first.