Road pricing is not the answer

The Times front page today is all about the mass opposition to Labour's plans for road pricing. While I have little sympathy with the lobby that says driving is too expensive already - the cost of motoring has fallen in real terms while the cost of public transport has soared - I agree with them to the extent that road pricing is a typical wrong-headed Labour solution.

It would be just like Blair to push through the wrong solution just because there is massive opposition ("It's almost as unpopular as the war colleagues, it MUST be right"). But if Labour succeed in setting up road pricing they will be creating a licence to pollute if you can afford it. The only real solution to congestion, air pollution and carbon wastage is carbon rationing. Whilst we might not favour the wartime slogan "Is your journey really necessary?", we could well ask people "Is it really necessary to go by car?"