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There have been a number of Parliamentary questions relating to road charging in recent weeks. Just when we thought the whole subject may have been finally dropped, it seems it's very much back on the Government's agenda.
First, transport minister Paul Clark was asked about the progress with the Galileo satellite navigation system, which could be used to charge drivers.
Apparently, full testing of a ground-based infrastructure will not take place until 2014.
Next we had Sadiq Khan, lead transport minister in the Commons, advising that £39m has been spent so far on investigating road pricing with £10m spent alone last year.
Again, apparently the first phase of testing the technology and processes required for a road pricing scheme based on time, distance and place travelled is underway.
Our neighbours TRL have been involved in this project. We observed vehicles including HGVs going around the test track for months in different formations.
Against this backdrop, we have seen the publication of the Taxes and Charges on Road Users report from the Transport Select Committee, which reflect many of the views expressed in my blogs over the past few years (see 5 Nov 2008 and 20 Aug 2008 if you're interested).
Namely, the Committee believes taxation based on car usage through fuel duty to be the fairest approach.
Yes, you did read that right! That's what I have been advocating for years!
The RAC Foundation acknowledges fuel duty accomplishes this to a degree although it sees this then being reduced once pay-as-you-go charges are introduced. Why? It seems absolutely absurd to introduce expensive technology that will go wrong when Government could simply 'road price' at the pumps through fuel duty and maybe introduce congestion charging at the entrance gateways to all major towns and cities.
Meanwhile, Nottingham City Council has been given the go-ahead to introduce workplace parking charges. From April 2012, the Council will charge employers £253 per space per annum for ten spaces or more, rising to £350 per space two years later.
Charging of one kind or another seems to be the order of the day.
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