RE: Gov't rules out more taxes
Monday 7th August 2006
Speed limits to stay as they areRoads minister Dr Stephen Layman has ruled out the draconian suggestions of a committee of MPs that could have seen both vehicle excise duty rise almost tenfold, and the blanket enforcement of speed limits. The general thrust of a report, released today by the Environmental Audit Committee, was that people should pay more for transport because it damages the environment.
Gov't rules out more taxes
Minister says no to gas guzzler tax
Speed limits to stay as they are
Questioned on the BBC's Radio 4's Today programme this morning about the environmental impact of high motorway speeds, he said that it wouldn't be popular to rigidly enforce or even lower motorway limits on environmental grounds. "Motorists wouldn't accept it", he said, "so we would rather use our limited resources to improve safety."
The committee also suggested that those who drive vehicles with higher fuel consumption should pay a lot more -- £1,800 -- for their tax discs. Ladyman pointed out three times that people who drive high consumption vehicles already pay thousands more in fuel tax, and that loading yet more costs would not necessarily be a deterrent. He therefore couldn't see the point of raising the annual tax disc's price for those vehicles. "Those people already pay more for their tax discs anyway", he said.
The discussion then went on to talk about aviation, where Ladyman again ruled out loading costs onto airlines or the price of passengers' tickets via the tax weapon. Instead, he reckoned that the EU's existing emissions trading scheme was more effective in persuading airlines to use more efficient aeroplanes.
Is this the beginning of the end of the government's war on motorists?
Discussion
And Yet ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politic
Raise air travel tax, report says
The report said air travel was the fastest growing source of CO2
Taxes on air travel and "gas guzzling" cars should be raised to cut greenhouse gas emissions, says a committee of MPs.
The MPs' report criticises the Department of Transport for adopting a "fatalistic" attitude towards cutting emissions caused by increased travel.
The report also calls for speed limits to be dramatically cut or rigorously enforced on motorways and trunk roads.
The government says its recent energy review shows tackling carbon pollution from transport is a key priority.
The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee said that transport was the only sector of the UK economy where carbon emissions have risen consistently since 1990.
The Government should take much more decisive action to shift the balance of affordability in favour of trains, buses, and lower carbon cars and lorries
Tim Yeo committee chairman
Blair's home carbon audit hint
Emissions from air traffic have doubled over that time, it says.
It accuses the Department for Transport of seeming to accept that little can be done to stop the rise in CO2 emissions due to the increase in travel caused by economic growth.
The report notes that emissions from air traffic are projected to rise five-fold and suggests that the duty should be charged per flight, rather than per passenger.
They suggest that it could also be extended to cover air freight.
Tax hike
The MPs welcome the recent introduction of variable Vehicle Excise Duty, which means that the lowest-carbon cars pay no road tax, while gas-guzzling 4x4s pay an increased rate of £210.
But they say the measure should be extended, highlighting proposals by the Sustainable Development Commission which suggest increasing the top band of VED to £1,800.
Under the plans, lower bands would be at £300 intervals down to the least-polluting cars which would be tax-free.
The report says the purchase of zero-tax cars fell between 2004 and 2005.
It also suggests a return to the fuel tax escalator, which increased the cost of petrol above inflation to deter road usage and caused widespread protests six years ago.
'Intransigent'
Committee chairman Tim Yeo said: "We are concerned that the department seems to have a fatalistic attitude which sees carbon-intensive activities and economic growth as going hand in hand.
"The government should take much more decisive action to shift the balance of affordability in favour of trains, buses, and lower carbon cars and lorries."
Mr Yeo accused the government and the airline industry of "intransigence" in relation to their efforts to cut emissions caused by air travel.
Friends of the Earth's senior transport campaigner Tony Bosworth said: "This is a damning report on the Government's failure to tackle climate change through its transport policies.
"Emissions from transport are still rising and forecasts suggest they will carry on rising for years to come."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politic
Raise air travel tax, report says
The report said air travel was the fastest growing source of CO2
Taxes on air travel and "gas guzzling" cars should be raised to cut greenhouse gas emissions, says a committee of MPs.
The MPs' report criticises the Department of Transport for adopting a "fatalistic" attitude towards cutting emissions caused by increased travel.
The report also calls for speed limits to be dramatically cut or rigorously enforced on motorways and trunk roads.
The government says its recent energy review shows tackling carbon pollution from transport is a key priority.
The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee said that transport was the only sector of the UK economy where carbon emissions have risen consistently since 1990.
The Government should take much more decisive action to shift the balance of affordability in favour of trains, buses, and lower carbon cars and lorries
Tim Yeo committee chairman
Blair's home carbon audit hint
Emissions from air traffic have doubled over that time, it says.
It accuses the Department for Transport of seeming to accept that little can be done to stop the rise in CO2 emissions due to the increase in travel caused by economic growth.
The report notes that emissions from air traffic are projected to rise five-fold and suggests that the duty should be charged per flight, rather than per passenger.
They suggest that it could also be extended to cover air freight.
Tax hike
The MPs welcome the recent introduction of variable Vehicle Excise Duty, which means that the lowest-carbon cars pay no road tax, while gas-guzzling 4x4s pay an increased rate of £210.
But they say the measure should be extended, highlighting proposals by the Sustainable Development Commission which suggest increasing the top band of VED to £1,800.
Under the plans, lower bands would be at £300 intervals down to the least-polluting cars which would be tax-free.
The report says the purchase of zero-tax cars fell between 2004 and 2005.
It also suggests a return to the fuel tax escalator, which increased the cost of petrol above inflation to deter road usage and caused widespread protests six years ago.
'Intransigent'
Committee chairman Tim Yeo said: "We are concerned that the department seems to have a fatalistic attitude which sees carbon-intensive activities and economic growth as going hand in hand.
"The government should take much more decisive action to shift the balance of affordability in favour of trains, buses, and lower carbon cars and lorries."
Mr Yeo accused the government and the airline industry of "intransigence" in relation to their efforts to cut emissions caused by air travel.
Friends of the Earth's senior transport campaigner Tony Bosworth said: "This is a damning report on the Government's failure to tackle climate change through its transport policies.
"Emissions from transport are still rising and forecasts suggest they will carry on rising for years to come."
Hmmm. So we could have different taxes for different classes of vehicles and blanket road charging, by usage.
Why not just add the tax to petrol prices? The more you drive, the thirstier the car the more you pay. Nice and simple.
And, as an added advantage you can take thousands of civil servants off the governments pay role because we don't have to implement lots of schemes + savings on IT infrastructure, wasting the police's time checking the discs are in date, etc...
Why complicate when there's a simple answer?
Why not just add the tax to petrol prices? The more you drive, the thirstier the car the more you pay. Nice and simple.
And, as an added advantage you can take thousands of civil servants off the governments pay role because we don't have to implement lots of schemes + savings on IT infrastructure, wasting the police's time checking the discs are in date, etc...
Why complicate when there's a simple answer?
Thing is, Ladyman is 'roads minister', not Transport Minister. He reports to Darling.
Obviously putting massive tax hikes on 'the worst polluters' would basically stop all people who drive these cars voting labour. Just think, you've a LandRover, TVR, few year old Shogun and you're faced with a choice - vote Labour and pay £1,000 road tax or vote someone else in and pay £200ish (opposition parties are bound to pick up on this one). Of course they could just introduce the tax on new cars ... and kill off business, meaning they earn no tax/VAT on new cars.
Obviously putting massive tax hikes on 'the worst polluters' would basically stop all people who drive these cars voting labour. Just think, you've a LandRover, TVR, few year old Shogun and you're faced with a choice - vote Labour and pay £1,000 road tax or vote someone else in and pay £200ish (opposition parties are bound to pick up on this one). Of course they could just introduce the tax on new cars ... and kill off business, meaning they earn no tax/VAT on new cars.
cerbie said:
This idea was first put forward by Gordon Murray of Maclaren F1 fame in Evo magazine a few months ago - thanks for nothing mate!
With two 4x4's and a TVR in the garage I'd get hit big time by this daft idea. Surely the fuel duty we pay is enough of a penalty?!
With two 4x4's and a TVR in the garage I'd get hit big time by this daft idea. Surely the fuel duty we pay is enough of a penalty?!
I think Murray intended it to be revenue neutral...i.e. it was matched by a reduction in fuel duty.
Revenue Neutral - not in a million years! That's what Murray may have meant but when a petrolhead puts forward an idea like that the politicians see it as carte blanche to screw us even more. I think this idea is so far out there that it could lose an election so it won't fly. What would they do to truckers & buses who use less eco friendly power? It's just a good line for the editorials.
Yeah but by airing his thoughts and proposing figures in a publication like Evo he has given creedance to the idea. I think the £1,800 headline figure was the same too wasn't it?
I thought WTF? when I read it there and now the government are following it up.... we will have to wait & see.
I'm sure they will come up with a weight, power, capacity, emissions formula that will get a lot of sports cars too.
Was wrong about the £1,800, Murray suggested £2k for a RR Sport Supercharged
I thought WTF? when I read it there and now the government are following it up.... we will have to wait & see.
I'm sure they will come up with a weight, power, capacity, emissions formula that will get a lot of sports cars too.
Was wrong about the £1,800, Murray suggested £2k for a RR Sport Supercharged
Edited by cerbie on Monday 7th August 10:55
no matter - we (car drivers) are at war against everyone else basically
driving will be only for the very very wealthy since the middle class will be priced out
mind you, you can take the train but since they are overcrowded you will be priced out of that as well (as seen on the news recently)
you cannot win unless... unless drivers unite together and fight back
congestion? fix the road first of all, make the traffic flow and pollution will go down
airplanes? yes I would be in favour of charging more there. Why it has to cost 50-70 £ to go to Turin by plane and £300 in a car? Make the 2 option equal if you want to be fair.
We need a different class of politicians: people that start solving problems instead of using taxes as a way to make you solve the problem.
I am for Conservatives but people like Tim Yeo are dangerous...
A67
driving will be only for the very very wealthy since the middle class will be priced out
mind you, you can take the train but since they are overcrowded you will be priced out of that as well (as seen on the news recently)
you cannot win unless... unless drivers unite together and fight back
congestion? fix the road first of all, make the traffic flow and pollution will go down
airplanes? yes I would be in favour of charging more there. Why it has to cost 50-70 £ to go to Turin by plane and £300 in a car? Make the 2 option equal if you want to be fair.
We need a different class of politicians: people that start solving problems instead of using taxes as a way to make you solve the problem.
I am for Conservatives but people like Tim Yeo are dangerous...
A67
I'm happy to pay £10 per mile - then I wouldn't bother even trying to get to my office to earn a crust. As it is I live in hope.
Why not use a nice fat carrot; encourage schools to start at different times, ensure road works start at night, improve and lower costs of public transport, encourage working from home, try something other than the 9-5 routine etc.
Why not use a nice fat carrot; encourage schools to start at different times, ensure road works start at night, improve and lower costs of public transport, encourage working from home, try something other than the 9-5 routine etc.
I saw on the Channel 4 news last night a report into the possibility of a national road charging scheme similar to the congestion zone in London. The charges recommended ranged from 2p per rural mile to a whopping £1.34 a mile on the most congested motorways. If that happens a lot of people on this site are going to be thousands of pounds worse off each year.
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