Making Spying Pay
'Spy-in-the-sky' paves way for road pricing - Telegraph
The Telegraph can disclose that the Government is pushing ahead with plans for a national road-pricing scheme, including testing "spy in the sky" technology.Gordon Brown was thought to be against national road pricing, a flagship policy of the Blair administration.
But the detailed level of planning now underway indicates the issue it set to become a key battleground in the next general election – which is likely to coincide with the trials beginning.
- And what have Gordon's views got to do with anything now?
The Government is close to signing contracts with four companies who will run the national trials, testing not only the technology which will be fitted to the cars, but also the bureaucracy needed to run a system including sending out bills. ..Three more companies will be paid to double check the system, ensuring that the charging machinery is legal and that the trials are properly monitored.
Trebles all round for a few companies then as yet another Government IT project rumbles along the runway with banknotes being shovelled in the boiler as fast they can be and yet no sign of lift off....