Hmm, just seen a worrying report on BBC Breakfast that there are people out there copying other peoples number plates and using them on their own cars to avoid speeding and congestion fines. To combat this they’re planning to introduce electronic number plates, which look like a small disc, and can be instantly read by cameras without the need for number recognition.
These could be easily fitted to the front of bikes, opening us up to ‘congestion charging’ and the obvious flaw in average speed checks. I fear the party may soon be over…
Is the whole congestion charge thing because they can’t or also because Ken doesn’t mind us riding in on our bikes?
TFL say that until bikes cause congestion there is no justification for charging for them.
As for electronic tagging of vehicles. I can’t see how this would be any differece to number plates. Firstly, they would have to invest loads of money in equipment to read the electronic tags. Then they would have to make everyone fit one to their vehicle. Then they would have to sort out a way of tracking down everyone that had not tagged their vehicle - and the ywill be the same people who currently have fake plates! Finally, they would have to do something about all the people who fitted cloned electronic tags to their vehicles!
