Monday 14th July 2008

Benn: High Fuel Prices An 'Incentive'

Environment secretary believes soaring fuel costs are a good thing

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How much are your fuel costs Mr Benn?

Environment secretary Hilary Benn has been criticised for apparently saying high fuel prices are a good thing because people are forced to use their cars less. During an interview on the BBC’s Politics Show yesterday Benn said that spiralling fuel costs are an ‘incentive’ for people to cut down on car use.

The Tories have criticised Benn for the comment saying that families are under immense pressure to make ends meet. Benn also defended Government plans to increase road tax for older polluting vehicles.

Speaking about fuel prices, he said: ‘When one looks at the price of petrol and diesel, well that too is acting as an incentive to everyone, to try and reduce use of fuel and reduce emissions.’

Presenter Susanna Reid asked Benn how increasing tax for cars as far back as 2001 would encourage people to go green. ‘Lower emitting vehicles and since three out of every four cars that is sold in the country, are actually second-hand cars, not new ones, it's important that you have a change that also applies to the second-hand market, as it does to new cars,’ added Benn.

Tory shadow Treasury minister Justine Greening said last night: ‘Hilary Benn seems completely out of touch with the cost-of-living pressures families across Britain are facing.’

[stuart-b]

These people have no idea what it's like to be a working class citizen.

[RB Will]

Well in a way its kinda good that people are using cars less, yet this should be through personal choice not beceuse they cant afford to live if they do drive everywhere. Please make no mistake I do not believe the higher tax and fuel prices are a good thing.

[Boggy]

wrS!

[custardkid]

what a C@CK!

[danrc]

As if they don't have a bad enough name for themselves - they then spout this sort of ste. aholes.

[MonkeyHugger]

He's a vegeterian.

Says it all.

[Apache]

Good man! yet another nail in Labours coffin, these guys are too stupid for words. How good does he think it will be for the UK to be economically ruined with thousands joining the dole queues?

[Graham]

New labour Said " If they have no bread then let them eat cake"


Is it just me that hears the sharpening of a guillotine


edited to say ::

Although Actually I'd prefer them to use a rusty blunt one, on b-lair and broon

[Fire99]

I'm sure it's tough for him to with all those personal expenses he is going to have to claim back... tough eh?

Considering Gordon Brown apparently believes he is a modern day Heathcliffe it really shows just how out of touch and dare i say dilluded this government is.

The government should be there to ultimately improve the lives of the country they represent not take their money and liberty away until the people live the lives the government choose.

Beyond Words!!!

[carmats]

Prick

[RSBear]

Tosspot

[lockup]

Hero.

[dkennedyvxt]

Does he think we spend all day and night going for jaunts in the car for a laugh.....probably 90% of journeys are essential. Shopping...commuting etc etc...so how can higher prices be an incentive. What an oxygen thief.

I spoke to an old chap that lives down the road from me....worked hard all his life...now had to sell the car as he can't afford it. Now has to get the bus to the supermarket, get his shopping....walk to the bus stop with heavy bags, get on the bus then walk from the bus stop home...whereas before he could park in his drive and drive door to door. How the hell are these inflated prices helping anyone?????

i hope he is mowed down by a Prius...

[computamedic]

It's certainly true that high prices will deter users from using - but the thing that's missing in this scenario is a cost effective alternative!! Until the scientific community can come up with a renewable alternative to petrol/diesel/LPG the World will not stop buying the only means of running private transport.

To expect that anyone other than commuters will use public transport is just ludicrous. The vast majority of traffic on our roads between 10am and 4pm are not run-of-the-mill commuters - they are business people for whom public transport is nothing but a costly, untimely tedium. It's the low cost of the alternative fuels (say, hydrogen) that will convince drivers away from petrol/diesel etc. - not the attempts to price it out of the market.

Dave

[ayfy]

in a way I agree with him. Since petrol prices have gone up I've been using my car a lot less and been thinking more about what journeys I make and whether or not I need to make them or if it's easier to take alternative transport. Also I've been driving my car more efficiently, ie. not accelerating hard and keeping a consistent speed on motorways. Obviosuly if you need to make journeys then it can be hard on your finances but IMO a lot of journey's are not necessary to be made by car and people are just lazy, at least this way it forces people to think more about whether its necessary to use the car. Getting a bicycle is a good alternative and gets you fit. I know these comments probably won't be well received on a car forum but hey.

[johno_VR6]

wr said:

‘When one looks at the price of petrol and diesel, well that too is acting as an incentive to everyone, to try and reduce use of fuel and reduce emissions.’

Not really any form of incentive to me really, just more of an annoyance that someone can be so far detatched from reality its untrue.

And I cannot take the words of any man called "Hilary" seriously. Fact.

This is just getting pathetic now.

[misterduncan]

dkennedyvxt said:

I spoke to an old chap that lives down the road from me....worked hard all his life...now had to sell the car as he can't afford it. Now has to get the bus to the supermarket, get his shopping....walk to the bus stop with heavy bags, get on the bus then walk from the bus stop home...whereas before he could park in his drive and drive door to door. How the hell are these inflated prices helping anyone?????

i hope he is mowed down by a Prius...

To put him out of his misery, I presume?

[mrmr96]

dkennedyvxt said:

Does he think we spend all day and night going for jaunts in the car for a laugh.....probably 90% of journeys are essential. Shopping...commuting etc etc...so how can higher prices be an incentive. What an oxygen thief.

Exactly. Just becasue fuel's expensive doesn't mean I can stop going to work. My car doesn't magically do more MPG (I could drive more economically, but the impact is negligible), and my commute doesn't get shorter. Getting the train isn't economically viable as I don't live near, or work near a station. Hence I'd need a bus trip, a train ticket and then another bus or taxi, and my journey would take 2 hours, not 30mins. So that's a total of 3 extra hours travelling, per day, with no cost saving becasue public transport's so damn expensive.

There is no reasonable alternative but for me to drive to work, and it's the same for millions of people. No matter what the price of fuel, I HAVE to use the same amount.

These guys are so out of touch it's unreal.

Edited by mrmr96 on Monday 14th July 12:29

[steebo888]

wr. some prick claiming too much on expenses

[Richards 7]

So my road tax is going up about £200 to 'help the environment'. So what does he suggest I do? Sell it and buy a Prius? Well the guy buying my car may well use it!!! (that's a bit of a shocker I know). The other thing would be to scrap it, despite it being in good fettle and buy a new one. The effect is the world builds another car defeating the whole object.

Therefore my view is that this has little to do with the environment and everything to do with tax rises because the government has wasted so much it's now virtually broke!

If anyone has a contrary opinion I'd be willing to hear it.

R