Safe Speed Forums

...or even just a substantial part of it. The truth is, around 5 billion pa is spent on all transport - including rail, so very little of it is spent on the roads.

And when you consider that the huge amount of fuel duty we pay is on top of all the other taxes which we pay, it's understandable that drivers get a bit peeved when they are told that their journeys are being largely subsidised by others.

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Only when ideology, prejudice and dogma are set aside does the truth emerge - Kepler

Someone said "Rail has had its moment in the sun time to move over. " which is close to saying that.


I have never said that it was a panacea. My argument is simply that, unlike half shaft, I believe that there is a place for rail transport in the modern world.


I don't think so. Because you have fewer drivers, those drivers are better trained that the average car driver, and their interaction with other drivers are much more closely controlled.

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When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
When I see a youth in a motor car I do d.c.brown

Rail definitely has a place in modern transport. Especially when Britain gets an improved high speed connection.

I firmly believe that everyone should have to sit in a truck for a few hours as part of their driving test. Those things aren't cars, just because you can drive your 5 series inch perfectly and never make a mistake doesn't mean you can handle a truck. Instead of giving out stink to trucks try not accelerating when they are overtaking you (really hate that and then slow down when you pull in behind again, if your going to that at least have the decency to pull over and give me the reason for it), give room when a truck is turning, yes they might need 2 lanes to turn left, accept that, hang back and let them complete the manoeuvre and if your overtaking put yourself in the mirrors first and don't hide in the blindsports. Not too much to ask to make a truckers life easier and everyone safer on the roads.

The drivers working hours are from an EU directive.
EU law overrides UK law.
The location logging using the digital tacho to record was also an EU project of some 2 year standing....doubtless due to surface sometime soon. If introduced as an EU directive then UK compliance would be mandatory.
You may be aware that road pricing on trucks has been trialled for some years now in the EU (Germany), and when/if/possibly the galileo satellite system flies I have no doubt that trucks will be the first to know.
Not well known, but diesel for trains is rebated. As is the diesel for buses. Many freight trains are electric however.
In spite of the haulage contractors moans, they are not as bad off as they say.
Firstly, all will be vat registered so the vat can be claimed back.
Second, the fuel cost is a biz expense, so can be offset.
Maybe someone can come-up with a figure for ACTUAL cost for truck diesel....I work it out at about 98p/litre.
Many trucks, along with a whole load of work vans, are now fitted with trackers (whether the drivers know is up for consideration).............in fact of the 4 people I know who drive for a living (vans) ALL have tracker-equipped vans.
With the prices getting dramatically lower all the time, and with fuel prices going up all the time (diesel forecast to be £1.43/litre by February) operators cannot afford to be trusting (not that many are anyway....even the small guys can see the saving, and companies that run fleets of trucks say the fuel saving by giving drivers designated routes and tracker-equipping the trucks is as high as 18%)
The boss looking over your shoulder.
Welcome to my world, where the offices looked over the workshop from 20 feet elevation.
Welcome to factories where the toilet is camered.
Where the clock-in machine is permanently connected to the computer system, and where each employees location is known because their employee id is RFID equipped.
Welcome to offices where the computer activity is logged for analysis later...
Call centres where INDIVIDUAL scores are displayed on a large projection screen.
And there are moans about truck operators wanting to know where the drivers are, and when ?

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The world runs on oil, period. No other substance can compete when it comes to energy density, flexibility, ease of handling, ease of transportation. If oil didn’t exist we would have to invent it.”

56 years after it was decided it was needed, the Bedford Bypass is nearing completion. The last single carriageway length of it.We have the most photogenic mayor though, always being photographed doing nothing