Taxation of Road Goods Vehicles – An Economic Assessment

This paper reviews the current position, recent research and potential future areas of research relating to road track costs, with particular reference to Heavy Goods Vehicles. It opens with a theoretical discussion, which concludes that the appropriate basis for changing is long run marginal social cost, but casts some doubt on whether the existing cost allocation procedure achieves this. The main reason for this is the likelihood that the marginal capital cost per unit of traffic of coping with an increase in traffic volumes greatly exceeds the average capital cost per unit of traffic at the present time. The DTp method of allocating track costs is then outlined, and the sensitivity of the results to variations in a number of the key assumptions is tested. The results show that the DTp method may only be allocating HGVfs as little as half of their costs. Hence instead of covering their allocated costs by some 30% to allow for environmental effects, as the DTp. claim, it may be that these lorries are only meeting 65% of their allocated cost. The sensitivity tests that yield the above results reflect the following concerns: (1) FUEL CONSUMPTION DTp measures lorry mileage and deduces fuel used and hence fuel tax paid. However, their fuel consumption figures look implausibly high. We have used FTA figures instead. (2) TRAFFIC FLOW DTp currently allocate many costs to vehicle kilometres (e.g. drainage, winter maintenance, traffic signs etc.), but accepts that the demand for a new road arises in proportion to PCUs (passenger car units), i.e. giving more weight to lorries. Our view is that once a road is opened any general costs involved in its continued use should also be allocated by PCUs. (3) LORRY WEIGHTS DTp use lorry weights as reported on a self completion questionnaire, which naturally omit any overloading. We have used observed values from a large study in Cheshire. (4) CAPITAL EXPENDITURE DTp charge only what is currently being spent. Following cutbacks in all government expenditure, this amount is now some 50% lower than in the early 1970s. Since capital expenditure was roughly 60% of total road expenditure, this implies that cost allocations have fallen by 30% on this account. Our view is that even this understates the true long run marginal cost of road traffic. Although the precise figures are subject to much doubt, in every case there seems good reason to suppose that the proposition is broadly correct. Taken cumulatively, they would be sufficient to convert the existing overpayment by HGVs (which presumably is intended to reflect unquantified environmental costs) into a substantial underpayment. If the increase in road haulage taxation which these figures would imply is politically unacceptable, then there is a good case for corresponding action to relieve the rail and water modes of part of their infrastructure costs

Experimental and Computational Study of the pH Dependence of Dithiopurine (DTP) Interaction with Gold Nanoparticles (AuNPs)

Understanding molecular level ligand interfacial interaction with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is important for AuNP applications such as catalysts, drug delivery vehicles, and so forth. As an organothiol that can undergo multiple tautomerization, protonation and deprotonation reactions, 2,6-dithiopurine (DTP) can have many different structures in solution and on AuNP surfaces. The goal of this research is to determine the structure of DTP on AuNPs at different pHs using a combination of experimental investigation and computational modeling. The experimental DTP UV-vis spectra and the DTP adsorption on AuNPs are pH strongly dependent, indicating the structural complexity of DTP in solution. The DTP SERS spectra suggest that the DTP on the AuNPs adopted mainly two specific structure compositions, indicating that the DTP structures in solution and on AuNPs can be significantly different. More advanced theoretical modeling is needed in order to understand the structural complexity of DTP in solution and on AuNPs

Experimental and Computational Study of the pH Dependence of Dithiopurine (DTP) Interaction with Gold Nanoparticles (AuNPs)

Understanding molecular level ligand interfacial interaction with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is important for AuNP applications such as catalysts, drug delivery vehicles, and so forth. As an organothiol that can undergo multiple tautomerization, protonation and deprotonation reactions, 2,6-dithiopurine (DTP) can have many different structures in solution and on AuNP surfaces. The goal of this research is to determine the structure of DTP on AuNPs at different pHs using a combination of experimental investigation and computational modeling. The experimental DTP UV-vis spectra and the DTP adsorption on AuNPs are pH strongly dependent, indicating the structural complexity of DTP in solution. The DTP SERS spectra suggest that the DTP on the AuNPs adopted mainly two specific structure compositions, indicating that the DTP structures in solution and on AuNPs can be significantly different. More advanced theoretical modeling is needed in order to understand the structural complexity of DTP in solution and on AuNPs

Fostering Distance Training Programme (DTP) Students’ Access to Semester Examination Results via SMS at University of Rwanda-College of Education

This paper presents a situation analysis and implementation of Distance Training Programme (DTP) Semester Examination Results Access (SERA) through Short Message Service (SMS) available anytime and anywhere. ‘Texting’ or SMS mobile phone messaging is rapidly increasing communication in business and community service. The prompting scenario addressed in this paper is the release of semester examination results (marks) at one and only one place: The UR-CE main campus notice board, regardless of the geographical dispersion of intended audience: The DTP students. To study the DTP students’ access to semester examination results via mobile SMS implementation possibilities, analysis of available telecommunication infrastructures, and services coverage in the country (Rwanda) was done. Then a survey was conducted on the information system implementation status at UR-CE, and the DTP management staff and students perceptions toward mobile SMS to support DTP administration communications. In the paper we discuss the inclusion of SMS technology among the DTP administration communication channels to permit DTP students at UR-CE access the semester examination results through mobile SMS technology. The SMS pull method is proposed for implementation in regards to the SERA communication. The implementation success of DTP semester examination results access via SMS is likely to improve the communication to both DTP administration and students sides. Keywords: Distance Training Programme, DTP, UR-CE, Semester Examination Results Access, SERA.

Integrable Generalisations of the 2-dimensional Born Infeld Equation

The Born-Infeld equation in two dimensions is generalised to higher dimensions whilst retaining Lorentz Invariance and complete integrability. This generalisation retains homogeneity in second derivatives of the field.Comment: 11 pages, Latex, DTP/93/3

Analytical models to determine room requirements in outpatient clinics

Outpatient clinics traditionally organize processes such that the doctor remains in a consultation room while patients visit for consultation, we call this the Patient-to-Doctor policy (PtD-policy). A different approach is the Doctor-to-Patient policy (DtP-policy), whereby the doctor travels between multiple consultation rooms, in which patients prepare for their consultation. In the latter approach, the doctor saves time by consulting fully prepared patients. We use a queueing theoretic and a discrete-event simulation approach to provide generic models that enable performance evaluations of the two policies for different parameter settings. These models can be used by managers of outpatient clinics to compare the two policies and choose a particular policy when redesigning the patient process.We use the models to analytically show that the DtP-policy is superior to the PtD-policy under the condition that the doctor’s travel time between rooms is lower than the patient’s preparation time. In addition, to calculate the required number of consultation rooms in the DtP-policy, we provide an expression for the fraction of consultations that are in immediate succession; or, in other words, the fraction of time the next patient is prepared and ready, immediately after a doctor finishes a consultation. We apply our methods for a range of distributions and parameters and to a case study in a medium-sized general hospital that inspired this research