tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6900026927256382720.post1053842783948557188..comments2023-06-30T08:59:42.531+01:00Comments on Lovelo Bicycles: The Social Cost of MotoringLovelo Bicycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06713565061561954396noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6900026927256382720.post-65446334499306392642012-04-09T10:52:26.069+01:002012-04-09T10:52:26.069+01:00The trouble with including "externalities&quo...The trouble with including "externalities" is that you are now comparing apples with oranges.<br /><br />Are there any figures for what government (national and local) spends on roads, in all forms? Construction, maintenance and repair are the obvious ones, but do we have reliable figures for policing, fire & ambulance, NHS accident & emergency costs, and NHS general health costs from longer term effects of traffic pollution or long-term treatment/convalescence of serious accident victims? I dare say there are a few other things I haven't yet thought of to add to this list.<br /><br />And do we know what the £50bn comprises? Is it just VED and road fuel duty? Or does it include VAT on cars, spares and fuel? The latter should of course be excluded because, even if you permit "hypothecation" to creep into this debate, virtually all of our expenditures suffer VAT - only basic food, children's clothes and public transport escape it. Health and education also escape but in a different way (the providers can't reclaim any VAT they themselves suffer) and only a minority buy these services anyway.<br /><br />My guess would be that if we define our terms properly, the combined revenues from motoring taxes still fall short of the combined public costs of providing a roads system.Paul Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07929808238663838155noreply@blogger.com