Driving up the cost?

        Hello, lovelies.

                Have you ever just jumped in your car, and headed off just for the fun of it? For no reason whatsoever you head off in your car for a trip to the seaside? Spending many hours cleaning, repairing and loving your four-wheeled best friend. But with road tax, petrol, MOTs, insurance and now a nationwide government initiative to close roads and fine us if we do so. Have the days of driving around town, or even across the road, gone forever? Is driving a car for everyone, or just for the rich? 

        I absolutely love my car. No, it's more than that. I couldn't function without it. My work depends on my being able to drive and own a car. It was at work when I drove down a road that I have always been able to drive down when I was stopped by a man waving at cardboard sign at me. Now, I'm not normally one for stopping when a man waves something at me, but he was adamant that I spoke to him. So I slowed my car down, made sure that I had the central locking on, and slightly wound my window down. The man then informed me that I had just recieved a £60 fine for driving down the road. Surely not. I had been driving down the very road for years, and to date have never received a fine for doing so. But he told me that the local council had put a new road layout in place and now the road was closed for cars. I assured the man that I hadn't seen any of the signs, but he told me that they were there, but weren't very well located, so lots of people were still driving down the road, unaware that they were now doing anything wrong. But why? Why have the roads been closed? And without any public consultations? What purpose do the road closures have? I wanted to find out.

        We have been told that some local councils have narrowed roads so that more space can be made for pedestrians and cycle lanes. This is great, and what a brilliant way to help reduce emissions such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Blimey! No one wants that floating around in our air. Air pollutants emitted from motor vehicles are believed to cause cancer and contribute to problems like asthma, heart disease, birth defects and to the much lesser degree, eye irritation. But have the road closures really helped in that fight? No. What it's done is push all the cars on to one road, with no  side roads and other way out. So on the main roads there are massive tail backs, with all the cars pumping out their dangerous emitions. And drivers being curious so under huge pressure to get where theyre going whilst being stuck in traffic, that angers flare more quickly as drivers try to go about their business.  

        Also, town centre parking spaces have now been suspended. This is almost the last nail in the coffin for many local businesses who rely on the passing trade. Blue badge parking spaces are being take away in favour of paths for pedestrians only. How does that work? Those who need the parking spaces and easy access are finding it harder and harder to leave their homes. Is this another way to dictate and control the lives of our most vulnerable? Under the mask of protecting us from the spread of COVID, councils across the country have introduced tough restrictions on motorists. No one can complain about any measures to try and defeat this virus. We all want our lives to try and go back to some resemblance to the way it was before. But by only attacking motorists makes no sense. Surely going after all those who refuse to wear a mask, or at least, wear it incorrectly, would be a much better tool in our fight? Or is all part of a wider campaign to stop people using their cars? 

        And what of all the massive increases in cost of parking permits? They go up year on year with no real reason as to why. Are the poor being priced out of areas they grew up in? Are they being cleared in favour of those who can afford to pay and are therefore more desirable? For many a car isn't a luxury but a necessity. We can all say that those who choose to drive could swap to public transport if they wanted to, but is that really the case? Or should we try to lower our own car use and not attack and condem those who still use theirs? 

               Last year drivers were fined £58 million by local councils, and that figure is set to rise in 2021. And in this time of our ending furlough and widespread unemployment, is the government taking money from those who really don't have it, and are just desperately trying to keep their heads above water? My best friend introduced me to a new term this week. She said that she was one of the many JAM families. I had no idea what she meant, but when she told me I realised that I too am a JAM family. Just About Managing. I worked 4 jobs before lockdown, and now I only have 3. I try not to spend any money unless I absolutely have to. I can just about cover my bills, but haven't been able to take my children on any form of holiday in 3 years. Owning a car for me is the difference to paying my bills, and losing at least one more of my jobs. If the government really cared for our air quality then they would invest in renewable energy and not just taking money from us. 

 

        The cost of owning and driving a car is becoming far too much, and very soon only those who are part of the 1% will be able to afford one. Attacking the drivers will not solve the problem. Holding the councils and government accountable will make a difference.