Tayside motorists have reacted angrily to plans to reduce the number of drivers on the road.
Ideas including road charges, reduced parking and sending private motorists the long route on journeys are all currently out for public consultation.
Members of Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership (Tactran) are looking for the public’s view on these and other changes to the way we travel.
But what do you think of the idea?
‘Cripple businesses’
Our story on the Regional Transport Strategy was one of the most commented on when we published it earlier this month.
The plans have frustrated many readers, with one commenting the scheme will “cripple businesses”.
Another believes the road charges would have a knock-on effect for those using public transport in Dundee, where many bus services have been cancelled in recent months.
They said: “Considering the bus service in Dundee is poor at best, and pretty much non-existent in the evenings, this proposal sounds like a death-knell for the city centre.”
Road charges are already a reality for some some UK motorists with Londoners charged £15 daily for driving within the Congestion charge zone.
That’s different to the Dundee Low Emission Zone, which will eventually levy £60 fines on the most polluting vehicles.
‘Interfere drastically with our lives and personal freedoms’
Many readers felt outraged at their lack of control over the plan, although the consultation remains open for the public’s view.
One claimed road charges would only “penalise the common man” while another questioned: “why are they making life more difficult for everyone by pushing us into a corner?”
A frustrated reader added: “the word dictatorship comes to mind”.
The hassle for commuters was also a key concern.
One stated that with this scheme in place their journey “to work via public transport would mean getting 3 buses, and take over 1.5 hours each way as opposed to 50 mins by car”.
The partnership behind the consultation (Tactran) are encouraging the public to share their views on road charges and the other transport measures being considered.
Is the environment worth the cost? (literally)
But some of our readers also indicated that the charges could be a necessity due to the growing impact of climate change.
One wearily remarked, “who needs a habitable planet anyway?” while another mused, one assumes with a level of sarcasm, “if there was only some sort of evidence about climate change.”
Readers posed alternative solutions to road charges
Some provided alternatives to charging road users.
One stated that bringing a park and ride into the city centre “must be a priority”.
Another cited the often stated demand for a Dundee bypass.
The reader claimed the “best way of reducing traffic would be to bypass Dundee for people heading south to Edinburgh or north to Aberdeen” to minimise Kingsway hold-ups.
Better rail travel also came up.
Derek Henry wrote “the simple solution to reduce climate change is to invest in the rail service.”
Conversation