Thieving gits? I don't think so. Central functions need to be paid for by a civilised society. All we are discussing is the relative fairness of the distribution of the tax bill. Many of the above comments are broadly in agreement, even the opening post was to some degree. Road fund licence/car tax/vehicle exise duty is priced on a sliding scale to promote the use of fuel efficient vehicles and ultimately to dissuade the over-use of inefficient vehicles. It is not out to banish motor enthusiasts or to kill the motor industry. It is a very complicated mechanism of adding tax to fuel used in vehicles.
That leads us neatly on to the biggest question.
Why don't we abolish VED and put the equivalent duty directly onto fuel? Before you throw up your arms in horror, this has indeed been investigated. The total tax rasied by VED divided into the total quantity of road fuel sold in the UK works out at a mere 4p per litre. The price has changed by that much this week without anyone batting an eyelid.
Advantages:
-You can use your big engined weekend car if you want to, but will be incentivised to minimise the mileage.
-You can make a difference to your bills by driving economically
-The tax is really simple to collect
-All foreign visitors and truckers will pay their share.
-we can dismantle the costly bureaucracy related to VED collection and tax disk displaying. After all, it is now irellevant since computerisation of the MOT and insurance systems.
-Even the caravan dwelling population would have to pay.
Disadvantages
-There is a challenge politically, as petrol prices are seen to be a sensitive issue. Blockades of the refineries nearly crippled the UK far more completely than Al Quaida did.
-er that's it?
