Mayor Ken, please not another tax
So tonight I was rudely awoken from my evening nap by the news saying that the mayors office is considering has planned to extend the congension charge to include Greenwich and the Blackwall tunnell.
They are currently running an advertising campaign with the
catch-phrase “The congestion charge is still only £8.” I have a real
problem about this for a number of reasons.
Firstly, this points to the fact that we should brace ourselves for a
price rise, again. A psychologcal ploy to make drivers feel grateful
for the price not having been raised by 40% this year like last year.
Secondly, a rise in congestion charge will undoubtedly mean a rise in
public transport costs because it will still be cheaper than driving.
This smacks of accountants and apparent public servants saying the
“market” can take the price rise. Well Londernors are not a “market”.
It is a struggle to make ends meet in London on a day-to-day basis. In
fact, it is becoming a huge struggle to stay solvent in the UK for a
huge amount of people.
Month on month, the UK is experiencing record numbers of people going bankrupt.
There was a 66% rise of people going bankrupt from 2005 to 2006. The
country is living on credit just to make ends meet. Month on month,
new and “exciting” schemes are being introduced to help us spend our
money.
Taxes are no longer incremented in line with inflation, but doubled.
This seems to be a new standard working practice. I was surprised the
new double airport tax introduced last week was legally allowed to go
ahead. In no part of business could you sell a product, then decide -
“All you guys that have bought tickets for flights with £5 airport tax,
well we just decided, actually its £10 tax.”
A peak day travel card to get to work for me is £19.40. Thats £100 per
week, or £5,200 per year. You spend all week working simply to pay
your bills, while having the privalidge of getting up at 7am and
getting home at 8pm.
OK, so I’m getting on my high horse here. But I fear for this
country. As a normal guy on the street trying to make ends meet, I
fear for this country because I see huge financial problems ahead for
many people and consequently business. Especially when each week
seemingly brings a new idea for raising revenue.
Mayor Ken, I urge you to show restraint. I appreciate you have a
workforce of full-time cleaners buffing your 1 mile stretch of slate
paving outside your lovely brand spanking offices. Taking more money
from us is not the answer. It is killing the economy of London and the
economy of the UK.
