Tax on fuel is the way ahead

I find it difficult to understand how congestion charges are going to reduce the number of cars on the road and make this country greener.

All that will happen is the cars will move to other roads and make these roads congested.

It will take a lot of money from those people who have to go into these areas to work and trade, and it will drive away many potential customers who will choose to go where there are no congestion charges.

It also won't help with catching people who are getting away without paying car tax and insurance or speeding fines – millions of pounds we are told.

Hard-pressed police forces also spend many thousands of pounds and many hours chasing people up, only to find they are not at the addresses they have been given.

I suggest that putting the car tax on to the price of petrol and controlling who can get petrol via number plate recognition cameras and swipe cards would be a far better way, far cheaper and a lot fairer to those people who already pay to subsidise those who won't pay or can't be found.

Third party insurance could also be included so all cars would then be insured to the minimum. This would also mean none would be without insurance. No car can run without fuel so every car would pay. People would be encouraged to use public transport as they would be paying more of the full cost of running their car at the pump and therefore have a better and much more direct comparison on the price charged by buses, trains and taxis.

If when coming in to a garage a number plate recognition camera was in place and a card issued to each car, as a tax disc is now, it would be very easy to check vehicles. If the card swiped at the pump did not agree with the camera then no petrol. It could check to see if the car had been stolen, passed its MoT etc.

If the powers that be want to stop people using their cars and go greener then this may be a way forward. The present way of doing thing is just not going to get better, it is reaching melt-down, if it has not already done so. Things just get worse.

J Kirkham, Orchard Street, Stafford.