Mick F wrote:Not for me it doesn't.pwa wrote:I have always said that vehicle taxation should be shifted to the fuel, rather than VED and VAT. It ticks all the boxes for me.
You'd be penalising drivers out in the countryside who have no choice but to use their cars.
I agree that in a Uptopian world, public transport would be everywhere for everybody, but until that comes, there are millions of folk who have no choice but to own and use a private car. Blame part of it on Dr Beeching.
But look at it this way Mick. pollution and congestion only happen when people actually use their cars. When they are parked they do no harm at all. It is the use, not the possession, that has to cost. Fuel tax does that. And it adds cost more or less directly in proportion to pollution. If you drive a big thirsty high performance diesel, you'd pay a lot per mile, with a much more efficient petrol hybrid like yours you'd pay much less per mile, and with an electric only car the tax could be zilch. I'd want it to be sold as "revenue neutral", so I would want the Treasury only to be clawing in what they lose by not charging VED. With a small car (paying VED on new ones these days) I'd have thought you might actually save a few quid.