Theory of "spontaneous order"

The more complex the ballet of human movement, the less useful are attempts to control it. This is true in a skateboard park, a station concourse, and on the road. Humans have evolved over millennia to negotiate movement. Far from helping, external controls get in the way. The optimum form of control is self-control.

Reduce tax on fuel

The fuel duty escalator, which pushed up petrol taxes by more than the rate of inflation, should be replaced by a ‘duty moderator’, which would allow reductions when high pump prices boost the Treasury’s VAT take, said former Transport Minister, Stephen Ladyman. 30 May 2008

What the Fed says

The Federation of Small Businesses says the Treasury has the scope to cut fuel duty by 9p a litre without affecting public finances because of increased tax receipts from energy firms thanks to the the oil price spike.

Government profiteering?

How can government justify a percentage tax on fuel when crude prices have shot up from $20 a barrel a few years ago to $135 today? And how many of the dubiously-raised millions go on control measures such as congestion charging which add new tiers of enforcement that do nothing to reduce danger and delay at junctions plagued by priority rules and traffic lights?