Labour U-turn on car tax rises - Telegraph

Changes announced in the Budget would have meant that from next year, all cars that had been on the road since 2001 would face above-inflation rises in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).

This was billed as a "green tax" on high polluting gas guzzlers, but it quickly emerged it would hit the drivers of ordinary family saloons with tax rises of up to £245 a year.

The "poll tax on wheels" has been likened to the 10p tax fiasco.

However, it is now understood that the increases for cars bought after 2001 and before 2006 are to be delayed for at least a year by Alistair Darling, the Chancellor.

The extra duty will still apply to cars bought since that time, but the delay to the retrospective element will still be seen as a significant climbdown. It will be announced in Mr Darling's Pre-Budget Report, expected next week.

What a complete an utter ****ing mess. He's like the poo equivalnet of Midas. Everything he touches turns to ****.

So now after people have ditched a load of older cars, the changes don't go through. wtf? an early 06 plate gets away with things but cars like my late 06 car will be on the new system :confused: who knows. twunts.

The guy can't even decide what colour his hair should be, so you can't really expect him to stick to his guns on tax policy, can you? :P

The great thing about "Bangernomics" is cars registered before march 2001 cannot be differentiated, so you can have the biggest, most polluting of any car and still only pay under £200 a year.

The great thing about "Bangernomics" is cars registered before march 2001 cannot be differentiated, so you can have the biggest, most polluting of any car and still only pay under £200 a year.

Every few months there's a scare story that crops up about how the EU wants to get more than 10 year old cars off the road in the interests of "environmentalism". Always a rumour and normally debunked. IMHO they don't need to do that.

Take a look at the UK car tax system. There is line in the sand draw in 2001 where cars start to be taxed based upon their emissions. Next march, a car on the old system will be at least 8 years. can you see where I'm going?

I predict that come the 10th anniversary on the emission based system, those legacy capacity based levels will be disproportionately increased to make it unecomomic to keep a banger on the road. All in pursuit of greenness of course, not to sell new cars

Every few months there's a scare story that crops up about how the EU wants to get more than 10 year old cars off the road in the interests of "environmentalism". Always a rumour and normally debunked. IMHO they don't need to do that.

Hope they'd compensate healthily Maybe a brand new low emissions car entirely free of charge for every old car. I think there's one EU city where there's an age limit on cars allowed into the city centre.

Of course the 'greenness' factor never takes into account the environmental cost of building a new car.

Nothing to do with France and Germany being large car manufacturing EU countries either I'm sure

why not put tax up on vehicles over 10 years old as a financial incentive to get a newer less polluting car?

why not put tax up on vehicles over 10 years old as a financial incentive to get a newer less polluting car?

My 14 year old car was miles away from failing MOT emissions. I'd have to pay the same amount of "penalty tax" as someone else with a similar car who can't be bothered to maintain and service it, and barely passes the MOT emission test - which I feel would be unfair. I guess you could make the MOT emissions regs tighter, and that would reduce the level of polluting cars. Or tax based on the MOT emissions test results - then maybe people would get their cars serviced.

why not put tax up on vehicles over 10 years old as a financial incentive to get a newer less polluting car?

All well and good but what about those that can't afford to change?

why not put tax up on vehicles over 10 years old as a financial incentive to get a newer less polluting car?

That's what I said

All well and good but what about those that can't afford to change?

tough titties

Drive around untaxed like millions (easily) of motorists do.

The tax on less polluting cars is rubbish, as once manufacturere declares it emissions, then youre stuck paying the price regardless of how polluting it is.

My previous Fabia vRS for both its MOT's , on emissions would have put it the lowest VED band. 1st MOT was 101, 2nd MOT was 100, and I was paying tax on the V5 rating.

The tax on less polluting cars is rubbish, as once manufacturere declares it emissions, then youre stuck paying the price regardless of how polluting it is.

My previous Fabia vRS for both its MOT's , on emissions would have put it the lowest VED band. 1st MOT was 101, 2nd MOT was 100, and I was paying tax on the V5 rating.

The CO2 emissions on the V5 relate to the EU fuel consumption data after following that very specific test they do. So many mpgs gives a certain grammes CO2 per km value. Not sure how an MOT can test the same thing.

To answer the original poster I think Darling will only delay this and then it will be re-visited if labour win the next election and hiked up:CYNICAL:finger:In so far as forcing older cars is concerned, I can't see it happening:mad: The classic car industry is worth billions. This question came up on Pistonheads in response to an RAC recommendation along similar lines. The overwhelming response from classic car owners was if such a law was passed the government would have to send an armed unit to take their cars away.

Edited 12 November, 200817 yr by Matt Bodycombe