Government considering change to VED system

[RapidRonnie]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/green-motoring/9301269/Drivers-punished-for-going-green.html

Guess this was inevitable with more and more cars coming close or under the zero-tax threshold.

Simplest and fairest way to charge road tax would be to scrap the tax disc and put it on fuel instead surely? That way those who used the roads the most would be charged the most, and those with the least fuel efficient cars would also pay more.

Would save money on administration too as that arm of the DVLA could be scrapped.

Discuss!

[lfc958]

I agree,

The people that live out in the countryside say they will pay more because they need their cars to get around, however i see this as being offset by the big gas guzzlers & supercar owners that live in a city & only get very low MPG trundling round.

No more worries about road tax dodgers, & 1 less thing for ANPR to check .

[Phil-E]

Agree but there are some potential issues.

If I were to go to Germany and fill up there. I could get back and still have half a tank and use fuel that I have paid road tax with.

It could also open it up to abuse if people on the south coast attempted to bring fuel back from france etc.

Otherwise I totally agree with it,

Phil

[Moist Von Lipwig]

It really makes a farce of the reasons for the lower road tax if when it has worked they move the goalposts again to remove the benefit which had originally been promised.

An additional tax on fuel may be a good alternative, which then has the benefit that the fewer miles you do and the more economical the car the less you will end up paying. Doubt the quantities of fuel being brought in legitametely from abroad in fuel tanks will make a big difference. And the likely cost per litre for it is unlikely to make smuggling a lucrative market. It may however encourage more people to use red diesel though.

Wonder what they will do for electric cars? Seemingly green but still cause emissions from the generation of the power to charge them as well as the substances in the batteries, maybe a vehicle tax applied to home utility bills?

[cheezemonkhai]

Surely the easiest thing is to set targets, revise them every 3-5 years and only allow those in the bottom 5-10% to get 0% rate.

Set the bands on average for a new car at the time.

[Aspman]

Shock - low VED on economic cars encourages people to buy them

Shock - crippling fuel prices force people to get economic cars and buy less fuel

Shock - less fuel gets sold so less duty and VAT, eco cars mean less VED get paid

Shock - Gov decides to rig the system to get all the money back anyway.

If electric cars were viable and cheap the ******s would still find a way to grab cash.

If my car ran on nuclear waste and flowers came out the exhaust they'd still find a reason to tax me.

[gadgetman]

Adding to fuel would mean the EU drivers/eastern Migrants bringing their cars, will pay for road upkeep.

So you average out the VED rates amongst registered cars out there. Then base the fuel taxation on say an average annual mileage of 10k/year and set the MPG rates again on a rough average rate.

I think overall it'd add less than 3p/litre. More on Derv obviously. The only downside is clobbering hauliers, but then perhaps you could issue them with rebate cards or tax breaks?

[mdon]

I agree with putting it on fuel but scrapping the tax disc as it forces people to have cars mot'd and insurered in order to get a disc, I think lots more folk will risk running about with no mot and insurance.

[Raf_]

All they'd have to do is replace the tax disc with an insurance disc.

Sent from my GT-I9100. Not a Crapple!

[SnailUK]

Why not get the deficit from Cyclists?

They use the same road network, and cost the councils millions every year in creation of cycle lanes.

Bobs your uncle, problem solved.

Even better, when you've got some way of identifying a cyclist, the police can actually start prosecuting them for the dumb things some of them do every day, like jumping red lights.

[Raf_]

Make bicycles have a yearly MOT too, charge bike shops 30 quid to register as an MOT station every year and charge bikes 20 quid for a MOT discs allowing shops to charge a Tenner for for doing them. So each bike pays a 30 quid yearly fee. If a bike doesn't have a disc a 50 quid fine or seized for resale. Any cyclists caught with a defective bike without a disc have to do 50 hours community service washing cars windscreens at traffic lights for free lol

Sent from my GT-I9100. Not a Crapple!

[STSKODA]

The only downside is clobbering hauliers, but then perhaps you could issue them with rebate cards or tax breaks?

considering the damage their vehicles do to the road infrastructure i'd say 3 ppl is quite reasonable - wouldnae be getting a rebate from me

[Raf_]

Problem is a lot of hauliers would go out of buisness due to the fact forgein trucks can come across and go round the UK using deisel brought in other countries due to the size of their tanks.They would easily undercut prices for work and they won't pay tax

[andypandypoos]

Why not get the deficit from Cyclists?

They use the same road network, and cost the councils millions every year in creation of cycle lanes.

Bobs your uncle, problem solved.

Even better, when you've got some way of identifying a cyclist, the police can actually start prosecuting them for the dumb things some of them do every day, like jumping red lights.

VED doesn't pay for roads, that's why it isn't called road tax

[D15VRS]

Irish wagons come to our yard 1,500 litre tanks as do Continentals

[gadgetman]

I agree with putting it on fuel but scrapping the tax disc as it forces people to have cars mot'd and insurered in order to get a disc, I think lots more folk will risk running about with no mot and insurance.

They do this in some EU countries.You send them your MOT cert/proof and they send a 2" square sticker with basic insurance details for your screen.But they also have a kind if road tax on their plates like the US don't they?

[nick74]

As the databases are computerised a piece of paper to stick in the window becomes an increasing irrelevance anyway, and are usually quite easily forged.

They could link the insurance and MOT databases to the DVLA registered keeper details, if insurance or MOT lapse you would have say seven days to renew them, or SORN the vehicle, or pay a fine. That would probably prevent more driving without insurance or MOT than the current tax disc system.

[DaveI]

I really like the idea of binning the tax disc and sticking a bit extra on petrol.

It's far too sensible though it will never happen.

Regarding foreign lorry drivers filling up before they get here, how about a chargeable 'road use' sticker for the windscreen, 20 or 30 quid?

[gadgetman]

I really like the idea of binning the tax disc and sticking a bit extra on petrol.

It's far too sensible though it will never happen.

Regarding foreign lorry drivers filling up before they get here, how about a chargeable 'road use' sticker for the windscreen, 20 or 30 quid?

Works in austria and is deemed legal.

[dcweather]

I see more toll roads coming in at some stage.

Edited 15 June, 2012 by dcweather

[Paul007]

The article says "Treasury sources insisted that there are “no firm plans” for changes in road tax rates and ministers are aware that changes could be unpopular"..... that's stating the obvious !

[M12MKD]

Lets face it the Government will tax us all more to make up for it one way or another. Just enjoy it whilst you can.