HUGE: The Victorian government has put forward a 30-year plan that might see car rego scrapped in favour of a pay by usage scheme. It’s a win-win for people (like me) who want to help the environment, but also need to use a car a couple times a week.
According to the ABC, the idea is part of a $100 billion plan created by Infrastructure Victoria, which the government plans to execute over the next 30 years. Some of the 94 recommendations in the plan include: more underground rail tracks, extending tram routes and a stronger focus on climate action.
In order to combat the issue of climate change, Infrastructure Victoria wants to encourage people to use public transport. By moving away from registration to a usage charge, it will hopefully mean less cars on the road.
“It will enable less reliance on cars and more use on public transport and active transport, which is clearly a future I want for my daughters,” Infrastructure Victoria chief executive Michel Masson said.
The charge will be calculated based on distance and also congestion. Low-income and vulnerable Victorians would also be able to receive a discount in the new scheme (like they do with public transport).
“Designers can also consider the implications for those living more remotely and the fairness of the system,” Masson said.
Infrastructure Victoria is also proposing a tax for cars heading towards inner-Melbourne. The organisation established by the Daniel Andrews government in 2014 also wants to propose peak and off-peak tolling for the West Gate Tunnel and North East link.
I imagine this idea would invite a fair bit of backlash, because it’s pretty unfair to expect people who live near a toll road or in inner-Melb to always be forking out money.
This is coming from someone who used to live right next to the CityLink, and I can tell you it was not fun paying for that on a low-income wage.
But with better public transport in the works, driving may no longer be such a necessity and I’m all for that TBH.
