With petrol now at £1.40 a litre, this organisation has stated that it will present a petitiln to HMG once it gets 1 million signatures, with an initial objective of stopping the planned 3p a litre fuel duty increase later this year:-

http://www.fairfueluk.com/

Nick

IMHO petitions are a waste of time. And now I'm pretty much convinced that any piffling little drop in duty (<5p) will get eaten up by the petrol retailers manipulating prices prior to any changes.

I doubt they'll go through with the 4p increase because of the political ramifications. I'm sure they'll graciously not increase it, and I'm sure that just before that announcement prices will mysteriously rise by about 4p.

What I'd rather see is some guarentee that prices will come down when the price of the pound rises against the dollar and that the forecourts won't let the price stick while the market price drops.

Then a rise in the pound.

On the Radio today, A Barrel of Crude is $120 with the tensions mounting with Iran it is expected to reach $160, that will put your 3p rise in the dark. PS I signed that Petition Months ago, it raised over a Million Signitures

IMHO petitions are a waste of time. And now I'm pretty much convinced that any piffling little drop in duty (<5p) will get eaten up by the petrol retailers manipulating prices prior to any changes.

I doubt they'll go through with the 4p increase because of the political ramifications. I'm sure they'll graciously not increase it, and I'm sure that just before that announcement prices will mysteriously rise by about 4p.

What I'd rather see is some guarentee that prices will come down when the price of the pound rises against the dollar and that the forecourts won't let the price stick while the market price drops.

Then a rise in the pound.

+1. We need to see an appreciable fall in prices on the forecourt to make any real difference, restricting the rate of rise just won't cut it. However, when out and about I just don't see any real evidence of people trying to drive more efficiently and as I do the net result tends to be people flying past me on the motorway or trying to climb into the back of the car with me! Will have to dust off the bike (pedal power) to save abit of the amber gold!

To be honest i dont see what differnce the price of fuel makes. The Govt needs money for schools, hospitals, agencies etc. If they dont get it from fuel then they will take it out of our pay packets, or from a higher VAT %. What differnece does it make where they get it from?

I tend to find that the sort of people who moan buckets about the prices of fuel at the pumps are usually the sort of people who moan buckets about the state of our hospitals and waiting lists. They will never be happy.

At least taxing fuel you can choose to drive a more fuel efficient car and save a little bit in your back pocket, but then again the people who usually moan buckets about the price of fuel are driving 200hp 'gas guzzlers' or 4x4 chelsea tractors.

Rant over.

The issue, OCScene, is that with high fuel costs, you get high inflation, as everything costs money to move around the country - the increase in transport costs gets passed on to us, the consumer.

You drop fuel duty, inflation will fall, everyone will have more free cash to spend, so the government gets more VAT revenue from the things we can now afford to buy.

Simples

Also,

...are driving 200hp 'gas guzzlers'...

Your 1.8 TSI isn't far from that...

Also,

Your 1.8 TSI isn't far from that...

Yes but I fill my car up and do not moan about it.

If you read my other posts, ive also traded it in for a new, more efficient diesel that is due to arrive in 3 months.

or 4x4 chelsea tractors.

Define?

4

Define?

4x4's driven by people who clearly do not need a 4x4. The folk that seem unable to be drop the kids off at the school gates unless they have four wheel drive and a V6 engine.

If you believe some respected financial watchers and commentators fuel rises are the only reason government cuts *seem* to be working.

The extra taxes are helping balance the books, hence the lack of the promised fuel stabiliser Cameron promised us all time and again.

Is that quentin wilson on the home page? That man is legend, end of.

But back on topic, i dont think this will work, nothing will. I have signed it regardless as the more names the better but i I think iv signed about 6 of these petitions and it does nothing but go up :/

4x4's driven by people who clearly do not need a 4x4. The folk that seem unable to be drop the kids off at the school gates unless they have four wheel drive and a V6 engine.

First define what EXACTLY you mean by a 4x4?

Secondly, we live in a free country, and have free choice to buy what we want, so are you saying that people now have to justify what they buy?

First define what EXACTLY you mean by a 4x4?

Secondly, we live in a free country, and have free choice to buy what we want, so are you saying that people now have to justify what they buy?

Groan, can we NOT start this yet again?

I think we all know what is referred to by the phrase 4x4. Big 3-4 litre V6+ Range Rovers, Cayenne, Touregs etc etc. Not Rav4's, Octavia scouts or Yeti's!!!!

When I listen to report coverage & consumer comment on the radio etc, what comes across strongly is the almost complete dependency on the car and the absence of viable/cost effective public transport options. Perhaps we can't begin to re-balance the problem until public transport is sufficiently available/flexible and cost effective? Not entirely the answer I know, but with a little more communication and pre-planning many more journeys could be shared as I see an awful lot of drivers out and about on their own. Just another perspective.

I think it's chicken and egg.

If rain and bus travel was affordable and services often enough people will use them. In london buses can be every 10-30 minutes. Up here you can times that figure by at least 6. Yes most of our local services run a min of 1 hour apart. Some upto 2 hours apart, and finish early.

I think it's chicken and egg.

If rain and bus travel was affordable and services often enough people will use them. In london buses can be every 10-30 minutes. Up here you can times that figure by at least 6. Yes most of our local services run a min of 1 hour apart. Some upto 2 hours apart, and finish early.

Yes, it's often the rural community that find public transport most unworkable. In any event the technological push will be away from hydrocarbons so in years to come more of us will be plugging in, which I'm sure will open the flood gates to a whole new set of moans/issues!

Public transport is a joke. Last year fancied a day out to Hereford. Checked online for train timings and prices from Cwmbran. Travel time is about 45 mins-10mins quicker than the car but 2 adult day returns £48 in total. Guess which form of transport I took?

Gadgetman,

Then perhaps you need to choose your words more carefully. Comments like "4x4's driven by people who clearly do not need a 4x4." are inflamatory and often incorrect. It is what is invariably spouted by the green lobby.

How do you know people don't need a 4x4, be it an LR Discovery or a Yeti? They are both 4x4's.

Gadgetman,

Then perhaps you need to choose your words more carefully. Comments like "4x4's driven by people who clearly do not need a 4x4." are inflamatory and often incorrect. It is what is invariably spouted by the green lobby.

How do you know people don't need a 4x4, be it an LR Discovery or a Yeti? They are both 4x4's.

How many people who buy these actually need them and use the 4x4 potential?

The average mum on a school run, or businessman doesnt. Which was the point someone else was making.

We have a free market, so people can buy what they want. What does it matter if they need four wheel drive or not?

I can't see the point of buying a VRs, or an estate car, but I don't criticise people for their choice, which is exactly what you are doing.

The issue, OCScene, is that with high fuel costs, you get high inflation, as everything costs money to move around the country - the increase in transport costs gets passed on to us, the consumer.

You drop fuel duty, inflation will fall, everyone will have more free cash to spend, so the government gets more VAT revenue from the things we can now afford to buy.

Simples

fuel 80% tax

VAT 20% tax

Which do you think the gov wants you to spend money on?

Most decent size cities and towns will have good public transport services. The problem is, many places that were just starting to get to the point of high frequency services/24hour services etc are now going back 5 years because of funding cuts.