Over the years many Echo letter writers have claimed that as motorists they pay to use the roads and they believe that this entitles them to greater rights than those who pay no road tax.
This is incorrect; road tax was abolished years and motorists now pay vehicle excise duty which is calculated according to the amount of CO2 they produce. Motor vehicles with very low CO2 emissions, along with bicycles, are in band A and pay no vehicle excise duty.
Apart from motorways and trunk roads, all of Southampton's roads are paid for out of Council Tax which cyclists pay just like everyone else. The third of households which do not own a motor vehicle are in fact subsidising drivers.
Much of the £20 million or so highways budget is spent on maintaining and repairing the city's roads.
Cyclists cause no damage to roads but do suffer physical injury and damage to bicycles from the potholes and uneven road surfaces caused by motor vehicles.
The money currently being spent on improving cycle provision is long overdue and is making up for decades of under-spending.
When we have an infrastructure to rival that found in Dutch cities, young and old will take to two wheels as being the quickest, easiest, healthiest and most environmentally friendly way to get about the city.
Lindsi Bluemel
Secretary
Southampton Cycling Campaign
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