It seems that more people are gearing up for a repeat of the fuel protests of 2000 and that Twat Howard is lending his principled support to the protests. They seem also to be putting the pressure on the government because of a long-planned rise in fuel tax. I hope they will put similar pressure on the oil companies, the cartel that runs oil production, the Chinese for daring to industrialise, terrorists in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, and American (state) environmental legislation (see the BBC’s Why are oil prices so high). The UK already has to deal with 12,000-24,000 premature deaths caused by air pollution every year (Committee on the Medical Effect of Air Pollutants via Transport2000), compared with the 12,000 that died in the Great Smog of 1952 (BBC). The Great Smog led to drastic legislation to clean up the air (try lighting a coal fire in London). A slow rise in taxes to try to persuade people out of cars, especially when 25% of all cars journeys are under 2 miles and the highest income fifth of the population make 72% of their journeys by car compared to the lowest income fifth which makes only 42% of its journeys by car, doesn’t seem too drastic by comparison (figures from Transport2000 press release of 28 May).
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