Road tax /VED added to fuel instead. Could it work?
Discussion
I personally think adding the cost of tax onto fuel could be a good thing - as long as average Joe pays no more. Those that truly pollute more by doing more miles or using a thirsty car would pay more.
Those of us with thirsty weekend cars could save some money...
Granny that does just 1k miles a year will save a couple of hundred quid a year maybe, Mr repmobile who spends his life on the motorways doing 50k miles a year pays more. Seems fair to me...
But how would it work for the haulage companies? Could the system work? What road tax do they currently pay? How does it work? Any suggestions of how it could be made fair for them too?
Surely the reduction in admin costs for the current system could be reduced?
Those of us with thirsty weekend cars could save some money...
Granny that does just 1k miles a year will save a couple of hundred quid a year maybe, Mr repmobile who spends his life on the motorways doing 50k miles a year pays more. Seems fair to me...
But how would it work for the haulage companies? Could the system work? What road tax do they currently pay? How does it work? Any suggestions of how it could be made fair for them too?
Surely the reduction in admin costs for the current system could be reduced?
driverrob said:
It's such a sensible and obvious suggestion and fair to owners/drivers in terms of pollution and road use.
I'd love to know the official reasons why it hasn't been adopted.
Because they'd be losing money on Doris, and we can't be having that. It's unfair on the government. I'd love to know the official reasons why it hasn't been adopted.

TREMAiNE said:
I doubt it would generate as much revenue as the current system. That alone would be enough to can the idea.
AND HOW much extra to pay redundancy to the stacks of DVLA wasters who'd be out of a job. Perhaps that's why graduated emission rates have been introduced- to make it more difficult to put a figure on the increase needed to generate an equivalent amount of cash through a straight price increase on fuel . A most cunning plan by those in office at HMG regarding VED rates. Apart from that graduated VED emission rates is a nice little earner with a sop to the greens. This year anything under ( say 130 gm) is one rate, so makers rush out to beat that. next the 130gm cars are raised to the next band as makers beat that. And in all this,HMG profit whilst being seen as the good green guys,pushing for lower emissions, whilst coining it in . Matt UK said:
TREMAiNE said:
driverrob said:
I'd love to know the official reasons why it hasn't been adopted.
I doubt it would generate as much revenue as the current system. That alone would be enough to can the idea. The government wouldn't dare risk losing that kind of money.
Though, if they charged 25p per litre, that would cost me £495 per year, £5 more - but I'd actually prefer that as finding the money to pay for tax in one go is always difficult.
But then a little old lady in her 1.25 Fiesta would be paying £50 a year if she was to do 2000 miles. £20 more than she'd currently pay whilst also getting unlimited mileage.
One of my favourite motoring topics.
HTF can you get taxed on emissions when your emissions cant be measured, its only your potential to pollute that can be determined. For me its a much simpler way by adding it onto fuel even tho not everyone will be happy at the amount its set at, there would be some winners and some losers. However it simplifys the system perfectly as you cannot use your vehicle without fuel unlike a tax disc thus eliminating tax dodgers and you are paying for the amount of fuel you combust into the atmosphere not the amount your vehicle has the potential to emit.
£0.25 / litre would have me around break even against current VED
HTF can you get taxed on emissions when your emissions cant be measured, its only your potential to pollute that can be determined. For me its a much simpler way by adding it onto fuel even tho not everyone will be happy at the amount its set at, there would be some winners and some losers. However it simplifys the system perfectly as you cannot use your vehicle without fuel unlike a tax disc thus eliminating tax dodgers and you are paying for the amount of fuel you combust into the atmosphere not the amount your vehicle has the potential to emit.
£0.25 / litre would have me around break even against current VED
I'm paying nearly £500 VED to do about 2,500 miles at c.17 mpg. Adding 30p/litre would cost me c. £200.
A rep-mobile doing 15,000 miles at c.45 mpg would cost c. £450.
Sounds pretty fair to me.
On the other hand, a truck covering 100,000 miles at 9 mpg would cost about £15,000. Not so fair, I would guess.
ETA I guess I've answered my own question.
A rep-mobile doing 15,000 miles at c.45 mpg would cost c. £450.
Sounds pretty fair to me.
On the other hand, a truck covering 100,000 miles at 9 mpg would cost about £15,000. Not so fair, I would guess.
ETA I guess I've answered my own question.
Edited by driverrob on Tuesday 25th February 22:38
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