New road tax for cars?

[Cyclone]

It still says that zero emissions will get a zero rated tax band, so not that much of a spanner really.

 

I don't quite understand how a flat rate will encourage people to buy more efficient cars. Surely that's what the current system does.

 

If he were truly thinking outside the box he'd abolish VED and make up the difference with a fuel duty increase. Then those who USE the most would pay the most, rather than it being related to your car efficiency (which is clearly not fair).

[altus]

Very droll.

 

The problem with the "general taxation" claim is that the money raised from VED, fuel tax, congestion charges, tolls and even car insurance premium tax all together comes to more than is spent on road maintenance.

 

Don't forget policing the roads, dealing with the results of accidents, the effects of pollution on people's health, etc.

 

It's not as simple as arguing that the money raised from motoring should only be spent on maintaining roads.

[WageSlave]

Zero emissions will get a zero rated tax band.

 

People who bang on about how cyclists should pay some form of road tax, well wouldn't bicycles fall into the tax free zero emissions band.

[Annie Bynnol]

....If he were truly thinking outside the box he'd abolish VED and make up the difference with a fuel duty increase. Then those who USE the most would pay the most, rather than it being related to your car efficiency (which is clearly not fair).

 

He would just be copying what has been suggested countless times before and has always been rejected by the conservatives, labour and nationalists alike.

 

The argument usually centre on:

People in rural areas who have no choice other than using their own vehicles versus the urban dweller who have more choice.

 

Rural dwellers make longer essential journeys.

 

Rural employment and businesses would be affected.

 

Urban dwellers benefit the most from road spending.

[Cyclone]

VED or road duty is linked directly to how efficient a car is though, with no reference to how much it's used. I have an inefficient car, but drive it for only 2000 miles a year. I pay far more road tax than someone in a Prius who drives it 30,000 miles a year.

 

If rural people were really a big issue they could even create a geographical fuel duty slider. The closer you buy your fuel to a city or town centre, the more it costs.

Most people fill up close to home, I wouldn't drive out into the countryside to fill up because the saving is outweighed by the extra driving.

[geared]

I've been thinking of getting a car that currently is only £20 a year to tax. The low road tax was part of the reason for me choosing this particular model of car.

 

I noticed with the last budget, they're going to change the road tax to flat rate, is that correct? So a car that used to be £20 to tax will soon be much more than that?

 

Can anyone clarify the situation please?

 

Thanks,

 

As far as I'm aware the new rules will only apply to cars registered after 1st April 2017, so if you buy a car now you're tax band won't move.

 

The new rules will not affect cars registered before 1 April 2017, and won't be applied retrospectively.

 

So if you buy a new car and it's registered before that date, your car will be taxed as per the current system, as per the table below - and it won't change when the new rules come into force.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/advice/new-car-tax-rates/

[ANGELFIRE1]

Buy electric, no road tax at all. No congestion charge in that London either. Not that that will ever bother me, you have to be deranged to drive in the big smoke in owt.

 

Angel1.

[TimmyR]

If he were truly thinking outside the box he'd abolish VED and make up the difference with a fuel duty increase. Then those who USE the most would pay the most, rather than it being related to your car efficiency (which is clearly not fair).

 

This makes a lot of sense and it would also mean if your car sat on the drive for a year polluting nothing, it would cost nothing.

[L00b]

Buy electric, no road tax at all. No congestion charge in that London either.

Fine so long as you don't need to drive more than 60-odd miles a day (or can fast-charge here and there ad hoc through the day), but range is still very much a problem, though.

 

Problematic when we'd want to take our twice-yearly 600 mile trip: currently with diesel, give or take 12 hours door-to-door with Chunnel time and a couple stops. With a full EV, unlikely to get 60 miles range at 75-80 mph average speed, so at least 10 charging stops required. Better make that a motorhome, then

[shand1]

Time to get rid of this current outdated method of road tax.

Overall, it probably costs as much in administration as what it brings in ?

What happens if the majority of motorists gets a zero tax rated car ?

It would suit me if they got rid of this stupid system & put a bit more on fuel. That way everyone pays by the amount of mileage that they do & the amount of fuel they use !

Edited August 7, 2015 by shand1
because i damn well wanted to !