AS more cars compete for a finite amount of space on Britain's roads, the Government has floated the idea of charging per mile, with heavier costs for the more popular motorways.

Having lit the fuse, the Government can stand back and gauge the reaction of a potentially highly unpopular move. A strong lobby seeks to persuade more motorists to stay off the roads and take to public transport.

The drawback to this can be seen at Skipton railway station on any day of the week.

Anyone who has not used the rail network from Skipton in the last few years is in for a pleasant surprise. Trains are frequent, reliable, punctual, smooth running and clean. You might even witness a cleaner in action en route, wiping down windows and clearing up the rubbish that modern humans always consider is someone else's responsibility to remove for them. In short, it is a railway system which has much to offer (well, at least for those wishing to go to Bradford or Leeds).

The problem is that it is virtually impossible to park at the station now - especially at off peak times. Having long since sold off any spare land for a supermarket, there is little scope to provide extra parking space

With such a good rail service, more commuters have been attracted to the trains. That is good news. The bad news is that others may be put off by the prospect of having to also find a bus or taxi to take them to and from the station.