(from The Advertiser 1st Sept 05, page 18, now available only through archive search)

Here’s an unpopular idea. Is it time for governments to levy cyclists who benefit from the increasing number of cycling lanes on our metropolitan road system?

While motorists, through motor registration, licence fees and fuel taxes, contribute financially to the upgrading and maintenance of roads, cyclists pay nothing.

In many cases, roads are being widened to create cycle lanes, without additional space for cars.

Perhaps introduce a cycle registration scheme to raise road maintenance funds.

Rex is clearly suffering from a distinct lack of education in this area. He does not seem to realise that motor registrations are not nearly enough to pay for road maintenance. Road maintenance comes from general revenue, Rex - from GST, council rates, and land tax. Which we all pay, not to mention those cyclists who also own cars and do pay these fees. Road maintenance has absolutely nothing to do with registration fees or fuel tax. When petrol prices go up, do the roads improve? Of course not.

Please write to The Advertiser to correct this misconception. Cyclists are being assualted and killed every day out there; the last thing we need is unfounded rubbish like this being swallowed by the public.

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