Rather than an annual road tax for their cars, drivers in the Netherlands will soon pay a few cents for every kilometer on the road, in a plan aimed at eliminating chronic traffic jams and cutting carbon emissions. The GPS monitoring system could be a test case for other countries weighing options for easing crowded roads. Some cities like London have created congestion charges to control traffic in downtown areas, but only Singapore has a similar scheme for charging according to the amount of travel. When the plan takes effect in 2012, new car prices will drop as much as 25 percent with the abolition of a purchase tax and the road tax, which now totals more than 600 euros per year for a mid-sized car. Instead, an average passenger car will pay €0.03 per kilometer, with higher charges levied during rush hour and for travelling on congested roads. Trucks, commercial vehicles and bigger cars emitting more carbon dioxide will be assessed at a higher rate, the transport ministry said.
The GPS monitoring system could be a test case for other countries weighing options for easing crowded roads. Some cities like London have created congestion charges to control traffic in downtown areas, but only Singapore has a similar scheme for charging according to the amount of travel.
When the plan takes effect in 2012, new car prices will drop as much as 25 percent with the abolition of a purchase tax and the road tax, which now totals more than 600 euros per year for a mid-sized car. Instead, an average passenger car will pay €0.03 per kilometer, with higher charges levied during rush hour and for travelling on congested roads. Trucks, commercial vehicles and bigger cars emitting more carbon dioxide will be assessed at a higher rate, the transport ministry said.
However, the Dutch people have seen this circus before and will probably presume that it won't go anywhere.
When the flu scare tapers off, I´m sure the paranoid will seize the next excuse for their spotlight. Could be Pay-As-You-Go. Can't say; I've not even the faintest idea how the minds of these people tick.
