Wednesday 30th April 2008

Secret Road Tax Hits Thousands

Older cars to be subject to higher road tax

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Older cars now included

Drivers are facing a surprise road tax hike after the Government announced that cars up to seven years old will be subject to new road duties, it has been reported.

Older vehicles were expected to be exempted from changes designed to penalise high emissions, but the Treasury has now apparently admitted that it failed to make clear that owners of larger cars bought since March 2001 will be hit.

This means that tens of thousands of families will have to pay up to £245 extra a year under the new rules because of the covert decision to include seven-year-old cars.

The Treasury hoped to quietly abolish the exemption for older cars.

It is understood the increases are being introduced in two stages, with many owners who are now paying £210 a year being charged £300 in 2009 and up to £455 in 2010.

The revelations come at a time when the cost of motoring continues to soar and drivers struggle to meet costs.

Critics have said that the Government failed to make clear that new changes to road tax would include older cars.

Paul Watters, head of roads policy at the AA, said: ‘The Government presented the changes as means of influencing people's purchasing decisions, but it turns out that they are also penalising hard-pressed families who have been running the same car for many years.’

[Barkercup]

Here we go again!!!

[YamR1V64motion]

why cant Brown and Darling just do the decent thing and die so we can all go and piss on thier graves.

[varsas]

I heard about this a while ago. It does seem a bit unfair, after all you have already brought the car, and changes like this are not usually retrospective. Once the car has already been built, persuading people to scrap it is not a good idea (ecologically) as you'll never get back the environmental cost in decreased emissions...what I am trying to say is yes, dissuade people from buying a new range rover but there's no point hurting people who already have one.

Edited by varsas on Wednesday 30th April 11:11

[MitchT]

Even less incentive to replace my nine-year-old (in two weeks) car now.

"This means that tens of thousands of families will have to pay up to £245 extra a year under the new rules because of the covert decision to include seven-year-old cars."
...

"but it turns out that they are also penalising hard-pressed families who have been running the same car for many years."

I take it that childless people are exempt from the higher taxes then?

[mjdriver]

W*nkers!

[Nickellese]

Tax here, tax there, tax every bloody where

[Mr POD]

I really am going to HAVE to buy that mk2 cav on shed of the week.

[Ricky944s2]

Jeausus, another f#*king dig at the motorist, its almost getting laughable!!! This country sucks!!!!!

[ZesPak]

varsas said:

I heard about this a while ago. It does seem a bit unfair, after all you have already brought the car. Once the car has already been built, persuading people to scrap it is not a good idea (ecologically) as you'll never get back the environmental cost in decreased emissions...what I am trying to say is yes, dissuade people from buying a new range rover but there's no point hurting people who already have one.

... and even that is done already considering the tax on fuel. Older cars get punished anyway, you couldn't know 15years ago 20 mpg would cost you a fortune in petrol.

Ok, 15 years is old, but lots of cars get that old... I still have my '90 Nissan Patrol.

[schmalex]

I wonder if the government would offer to buy back my car from me to give me the same choice as that afforded to people making a purchasing today

[DAVEVO9]

mjdriver said:

W*nkers!

W@nkers