A few weeks ago Little Nicky reported on attempts by The Mayor of London, King Kenute to turn back the tide of climate change through gesture politics. At that time King Kenute was promising to introduce a prohibitive congestion charge for Chelsea Tractors, Limos and erm... Ford Mondeos.
Machiavelli blog said this would only prompt drivers of gas guzzlers to park outside the congestion charge zone and take taxis.
Peter Preston writing in today's Guardian has revealed that London's Black Cabs, which have enjoyed a boom since the congestion charge was brought in, are among the dirtyest vehicles on the road )and we are not talking about those rather dubious stains on the seat next to you.)
Preston quotes figures showing that the average Metrocab farts out more pollution than a Range Rover Freelander and that Black Cabs are responsible for 24% of the fine particle emmissions in Central London. Fine particle pollution is of course associated with asthma and many other health problems.
So let's set aside King Kenute's hyperbole about reducing pollution, what he is actually doing is increasing it.
The "on message" spinmongering of New Labour would have us believe that taxes on road use are the only way of combating pollution, reducing congestion and getting us back into public transport. The party line is that taxis are public transport.
This is a typical misrepresentation. Taxis are private transport. I used to ride around London in cabs quite a lot and never once on hailing a cab and sayuing "take me to Kensington High Street did I hear the driver yell out of his open window "any more for Kensington High Street."
Anti congestion schemes that will reduce pollution and improve mobility around our cities, especially for the disadvantaged, are the tramway systems begun in several northern conurbations and uncerimoniously stomped on by this shabby and dishonest government.

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A Queue of Black Crows by Peter Preston