The Times newspaper...

The Times newspaper has finally woken up to this fact. The main story on its front page on 30 December 2003 was entitled "Speed camera curbs to halt driver backlash". And on 1 January 2004, the broadsheet came back for more, devoting over half its front page to cynical motoring fines. Stories about a murdered policeman, war on terror and other domestic and international events played second fiddle to the plight of UK car occupants, many of whom are now in danger of being priced out of their vehicles - not by manufacturers, but by politicians punch drunk on power and making money.

UK traffic levels rose...

UK traffic levels rose by 1.2 per cent for the first quarter of this year, compared with the same period in 2005. Car traffic was unchanged, but light vans went up by eight per cent and heavier trucks by three per cent. M-way traffic rose by one per cent.