No 10's website crashed after one million people logged on to register opposition to a plan charge tolls on up to 10 per cent

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Here's a sample of the latest views published.

“Downing Street hoped the e-petitions would encourage greater participation in politics and show Labour was listening to voters.” The reason Labour flunkies are up in arms is because the e-petitions show the government in this country does not listen to voters.

In a true democracy, the government should offer a referndum on any law. If 90% of us wish to pollute the planet for the next generation then we have the right to. Elected governments who implement their own will because they think they know better rather than that of the citizens who elected them are no better than dictatorships. How many politicians will join us on public transport I wonder?

There are sound economic, enironmental and moral arguments for congestion charging/road tolls and if I had faith in the government to handle it correctly I might even agree with it but the fundimental truth is this, poor people will be priced off the road and the motorways will become the domain of the super rich. Our outdated, under develped public transport systems will collapse under the weight of millions of displaced drivers. City centres will become unaccessable wastelands, businesses will close and unemployment will skyrocket.

We have built a society around the fundamental truth that you require access to a motorcar to live a full life. How many of us live in walking distance of our children's schools, place of work, family and shopping centres?

- S, Glasgow

Road tolls will force traffic onto A & B roads which, in turn, will lead to much greater pollution and make life a misery for those living on or near such roads. Our villages will be blighted, and weekday life will grind to a halt. Better to launch a campaign for At Home working so people can actually cut down their commuting by private or public transport. Why do we still think we need to spend all day in an office miles from home?

- A Day, Godalming, Surrey

Shoot the messenger! A popular petition has come out strongly against a pet government policy. Hence the petition itself is at fault, not the policy. Do these politicians ever remember they work for us, not for themselves?

- G, London

Clive in Surrey, I wouldn't call someone who commutes to work by car so he can feed his family a 'petrol head'. I know it is easier to generalise but shouldn't this be a grown up discussion.

- Dan, Manchester

Someone mentioned the Dartford Bridge/Tunnel toll. That was supposed to be abolished when it paid for itself. It did so a year or two back and what happened? The thieving, two-faced government went back on its word to raise money to 'fund road schemes in the area'.

Of course, there is nothing of the sort happening anywhere near Dartford.

- Gb, London, UK

Good grief, the petrolheads are out in force!

Jay, nobody has paid "road tax" for 74 years. You pay an emission based tax on your car, not a tax on using the roads at all.

Where is this nonsense coming from?

- Clive Mahler., Surrey

Take it you haven't got a car then Mike? Nevermind the fact that almost 80% of all the money we spend on petrol go toward tax and the fact that we pay road tax. And how can you say we pay nothing toward the damage caused by accidents? Who do you think pay for it? The government? No matey, my insurance.

- Jay, London

Could thisislondon, please pass all of the comments listed below to Number 10.
I know the Labour party will dismiss us as 'prats' but I'd like Tony to have the opportunity to reply to the public, and defend his ministers’ comments. Anything but listen to the general public!

Time for Tony bye byes...

- Ben Reynolds, London, W1

"People seem to forget we have the highest taxes on motoring in this country already."

No we don't. Too many petrolhead myths on this subject. Car drivers are subsidised by the rest of society - they pay virtually nothing toward the damage they cause in accidents, pollution, global warming, policing, congestion, wear on the roads, disposal of vehicles, NHS costs etc.

Time motorists coughed up.

- Mike Burton, Kent

While I would like to think that Ben Potter is correct, I suspect that he's sadly mistaken (or a government plant!). No way will this govenment pass up the chance to squeeze more money out of motorists, and then squeeze them some more when they are forced onto overpriced and overcrowded public transport.

- Paul, London

Whether or not a pay-as-you-drive tax would make it cheaper for the average motorist or not (and one ought not to believe what the minister say - haven't we figured that one out yet?), I and millions like me do not wish to be followed about wherever we go - it is more about the abuse of privacy than the tax, though when they go hand in hand it becomes even more indigestable.

People that use the 'I've nothing to hide so I've nothing to fear' clause are the sheep in Orwell's Animal Farm - they are sleeping walking into a police state and dragging the minority of clear thinkers with them. When will they wake up - when it's too late for all of us? Remember people, once this system is in place any future government can abuse it (not to mention this one).

As for thinking other road taxes will decrease - they can say that but seriously when did that ever happen with any double taxes? Why anyone trusts this deceitful government is totally beyond me.

- Isabel, Woking, England

Others commenting on this topic have said again and again that the most effective road toll is the tax on fuel, which rises to match distance travelled and penalises those who choose gas-guzzling vehicles. Scrap the so-called road fund licence and adjust fuel tax, thus correctly levying the most from the heaviest users. At the same time, those who drive the alleged million or more untaxed vehicles will lose their illegal tax-free status and start paying like the rest of us.

Why is this simple concept so difficult for the powers-that-be to grasp?

- Brian Phillips, New Ash Green, Kent

Road pricing or some other form of congestion management might be more deliverable if the government were planning increased capacity on the rail/bus network. As it is trains are full and buses are not much better so the poorer will be less able to travel for work etc.

- David Wickens, Burgess Hill

Power corrupts, and the power to monitor Joe public, on whatever level and based upon whatever wheeze, totally corrupts.

Get real, folks, they're on our case!

- Ted, Shetland Isles

Those who say-they are the Govt and therfore have the moral and democratic right to do this sort of thing despite huge protests from those who they are going to impose it on, should be aware of this fact. Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander sits for a Scottish seat. His predecessor who pushed for the adoption of road pricing,Alistair Darling, is also a Scottish constituency MP. As Scotland has devolved decisions from its own Parliament on much of domestic policy, including transport, the schemes these characters are trying to impose on England and Wales will not even necessarily affect those who voted them into power to make laws for the rest of us! Under the present system,what is being done on road pricing and other issues cannot be said to have any sort of democratic mandate. Scotland may not even have road pricing at all, but these Scots MPs and ministers will inflict it on the rest of the UK. It is literally minority rule dictatorship. Like the old South Africa had.
See also-Home Office and John Reid for another parallel case.

- Mike Robson, Cramlington ,England

This petition shows just how little the motorist trusts this dishonest government. No one believes that the tax take from motorists will fall oncer this road charging is entrenched. Dream on Ben Potter.

- James, London

"A study by the Department for Transport found that most drivers would pay less than they do now under a national system of road tolls"

I only used to use my car at weekends but I would STILL be worse of.

Ben Potter, do you equally believe in Father Christmas?

- Marianne, SW France

In response to Ben Potters comments -

1) The overall tax burden will rise, to cover the existing tax revenue plus the additional cost of developing and running the system. The average level of road tax will rise. In addition it will then increase the pay-per-drive tax at a higher rate than the exisiting road-tax/fuel duty (see what is happening to the congestion charge as an example)
2) This government has a history of raising new taxes and not reducing equivilent taxes by a similar amount. In the last 10 years this government has not reduced a single tax in this or any other way
3) When was the last time that a government IT system has cost nothing, or even been delivered on-time / on-budget.
4) The government says 'it has no plans to use the system to monitor the speed of vehicles'. This is Westminster speak for keeping the options open.

This government has a history of telling lies (Iraq, Bernie Eccelstone, etc.), has show no remorse when caught out, so why should we trust it now. This is the real problem, this government is so morallly (and hopefully soon legally) corrupt that we cannot trust it no matter what its real intentions are.

- Andy, London

People seem to forget we have the highest taxes on motoring in this country already. What is needed is a decent, cheap, reliable and integrated public transport system, but hey, that'll mean good 'ol Mr Brown will have to spend more money rather than fleecing the motorist again.
What about other implications?
Ok, so as a law abiding member of the public, I have nothing to fear right. Wrong.
ANPR and the London Congestion Charge aren't exactly without problems. What happens when some enterprising crim clones your number plates/tracking box/etc?
What happens when the Government IT system running it all screws up and says you've gone too fast between monitoring points?
Finally, what's it all going to cost. Government IT projects always over-run, cost more and deliver less than promised - who pays for all this?
You and I, that's who.
Maybe I'll sell up and move abroad after all.

- Pete Fox, Blidworth, Nottinghamshire

So much for the Government's "Respect" agenda!

Where is the "respect" in arrogantly dismissing the opinions of the 1,200,000 people who have now signed the petition?

When is the next election anyhow?

- Larry, London

I think the petition signatories are prats because the petition is dishonest, misleading, and inspired by a single-issue lobby group.

A study by the Department for Transport found that most drivers would pay less than they do now under a national system of road tolls.

Ministers have said that other road taxes, such as vehicle excise duty or fuel duty, will be reduced if motorists are required to pay by the mile for road use.

The technology may also cost the motorist nothing because the DfT hopes to "piggyback" on technology being fitted to many modern cars, such
as satellite navigation systems.

The Government has never suggested that the charging system would be
used to monitor the speed of vehicles.

A DfT spokesman said: "This e-mail is misleading and factually
incorrect. No decisions have been made on many of the things it claims
are government policy."

- Ben Potter, London

"but fails to put forward the benefits to the economy and the environment of cutting congestion."

The benefits are obvious. The petition demonstrates the public want congestion cut by provision of better roads and better alternatives, not by taxing everyone so the poorest are forced off the roads.

- Paul Turvey, Portsmouth Hants

Some Labour insider gives the people a chance to speak and an elected Mp/minister calls him a "prat"! Don't blame me: I didn't vote for them!

- Ed Moran, England

Quote: "There is particular anger in the Department for Transport that No 10 has allowed opponents of road pricing to shape the debate."

Surely that is the point. Am I a prat as well? Am I Conservative, Lib Dem or Green Piece? Am I just an idiot who doesn't know what's best for him?
No!
Do these people really believe that this has been masterminded by the 'opposition'? Then they do live in a world of their own!

Can't they just accept that this is actual public opinion. This is steadily becoming a Orwellion and policed state that constantly wants to digitally imprint our DNA and track our whereabouts, whether it's via cameras on our roads, our digital passports or microchips in our vehicles.

If I hadn't been made aware of this by email I would never have known about it and another hush hush government policy would have been passed before we can do anything about it. I bet if this system had been in place a year ago I wouldn't have a new passport with a chip in it. I say hats off to whoever came up with the idea of online petitions, this is the digital age and now someone that understands real democracy in No 10 has actually found the modern way to tap public opinion. This has probably been far more successful than they could have ever imagined and shows up how much more could have been done in the past to find out real public opinion. Thank you whoever you are.

- Paul Mayes, London, England

Remember gentlemen, it's us the people out here who vote you into power, and it's us that will vote you out. Listen to what the people want and act on that. Better still why not pay us when the roads are not moving and we are stuck for hours.

- Mike, Cheshire

Ah, I see. It's us at fault - we don't actually understand what we're protesting about.

It's typical of politicians to rubbish any view opposing their own by saying that we don't understand the benefits of their new taxation. The amount of respect these people have for us is disgusting. Notice only once the petition is closed that they will explain to us how and why we are wrong, and then they can wipe away this petition as a misunderstanding on our part. We are treated like badly behaved children who don’t understand what’s good for us. How lucky we are to have these fine politicians to look after us.

We simply can't let this carry on.

- Alan, Bedford

This barmy idea is nothing to do with reducing congestion it's just another way to raise money to pay for the phony war in Iraq, to keep paying out to the hordes of immigrants who have never contributed a penny and to prop up the rest of this wretched Government's indicrimate spending. I am one of the forgotten disabled drivers, on low fixed income and these charges would force me and many more like me off the road but, who cares so long as Mr Brown gets more money to enable him to boast about his "frugal fiscal policies". This Government is totally bankrupt of ideas, morals or consideration for the people of this nation. Much wants more and this lot are a disgrace.
Who would choose to be British today?

- Lionel Cartlidge, Cheslyn Hay, Staffs, UK

It is good to see so many people opposed to tolls, but many of us are already paying twice. We pay a fortune in road taxes and then get charged to cross rivers like the Severn, or the Thames at Dartford.

- Winnie, Neath, Wales

So that's at least one million people who are sick and tired of being talked down to by this arrogant and rancid Government.

There should now be a tax on digging yourself into ever deeper holes because it is the one and only thing that this Government truly excel in.

- Larry, London

It's all coming home to roost, this government preaches about being open and listening to people like me who voted them in; yet when the truth is told they suddenly don't like it since it doesn't tie neatly in with their own agenda. Long may this petition site stay and the government be reminded that they are accountable to us all.

- Steve, London

Owning a car in the UK is an expensive enough proposition without having extra charges on roads that we the taxpayer paid to be built !
An anonymous minister claims that the person who allowed ordinary people to vent their views on a website is a 'prat'!! In other words, it was a great idea until vast numbers of people disagreed with a goverment policy proposal.

- Darren, Poole, UK

Of course this is just the latest idea for removing money from the masses with the added bonus of more surveilance.

The real telling part is not what they are trying to do in this case - all govenments want to get money and reduce civil liberties. Here they are upset that someone in the government set up a site to allow genuine democracy and brand it a 'PR disaster'.

We live in a country where letting the public speak their mind is considered a bad thing in case they say something the powers do not like - we have to remind our representatives that they serve us!

- Guy, Horndean, UK

Well said Sam, they want people to vote and participate in democracy but they dont want us to actually be involved in the policy making or get our feedback on what we think about policies, policies that will change the way we live our lives. Motorists already pay per mile anway, since they pay tax on the fuel they use plus other leagally required checks and so on, so I don't really see why we need another tax?

- Imran, Birmingham

Well said Sam Barnet -

People seem to forget that the country is run by a small elected team representing all of us. This 'team' is focused on meeting targets that they have set for themselves so they can give them selves a pat on the back. They have lost sight of me, and others like me, who have to drive 20 miles to work, or 5 miles to buy food.

The 'elected few' are upset and using a word like 'prat' because the online petition means I have a voice. That said, a more balanced understanding of what I'm signing a petition for would be good.

Overall, MP's - LISTEN. Over 1 million people take issue with just one petition, but then again in your arrogance you think we are just prats!

- Andy, UK

Those "furious ministers" could organise for a petition on the No 10 website asking for signatures in favour of national road pricing. I wonder whether the total would ever approach the growing tally of those who oppose it?

- Matthew Keegan, London

Typical of the arrogance of the Labour government. The sooner they go the better for all of us.

- Mark Cooper, Folkestone, Kent

In other words, ministers don't give a damn about the opinions of the electorate. They seem to forget that it is their job to represent our wishes in parliament and not serve their own agendas.

- Sam, Barnet, UK

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