OK, so the Aussie’s are considering charging you if you end up in a traffic jam (see post below). I’ll bet you thought this congestion pricing fiasco was dead in NYC. Guess again — My spies in the big apple tell me that Hizzonner is trying to get it moving after the state legislature put the kabosh on it. The real reason — and this is just my personal assumption but I am seldom wrong — they need to do this to get a couple of hundred million in federal funds sent to the city.
I have also head that maybe the congestion pricing in London may not be the cure all as its being billed. Former Mayor Ken Livingston told the world that it was a grand success. The biggest success may have been at collection fees. However it is rumored that old "Red Ken" may have cooked the books and the numbers might not be what he says they are. The new Mayor, Boris "the conservative" Johnson is looking into all these forms of taxation in the city on the Thames.
As I have said before, the best way to handle rush hours is to let the free market set the parking pricing. If someone knows they will be charged $75 a day to park, perhaps they will rethink their commute.
JVH
