MAKING UK DRIVERS SUFFER

Roads are crumbling:

The condition of three-quarters of Britain's local roads, footpaths and cycleways has deteriorated over the past year, according to a survey by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).

The research, compiled from Britain's local authorities, estimates there is a £8.3 billion backlog of maintenance to be carried out.

It's no wonder then that those who can afford it buy a 4WD to negotiate what are rapidly becoming "potholed cart-tracks." But, prospective 4WD buyers are tormented by environmentalists:

Eleven climate change protesters were arrested yesterday after chaining themselves to Land Rovers at the start of a national campaign against 'gas guzzling' four-wheel drive vehicles.

At dawn up to 1,000 Greenpeace activists stormed Ford dealerships across the UK and attached wheelclamps on sports utility vehicles or handcuffed themselves to their steering columns.

'Land Rovers are less fuel-efficient than cars manufactured more than 80 years ago, and we are asking the government to tax them off the roads,' said Stephen Tindale, executive director of Greenpeace, who was present.

A proposed UK road-use tax will charge by the the time of day and route driven rather than according to the infrastructure wear and tear caused by the vehicle, in an attempt to tax drivers off the road:

The government is throwing its weight behind a revolutionary plan that would force motorists to pay £1.30 a mile to drive on Britain's busiest roads in a bid to prevent 'LA-style gridlock'.

Such a plan would be revolutionary in Western Australia as well: if the government tried to introduce a AU$2 per mile road use charge, drivers would revolt.