The Liberal Democrats would raise taxes on the most polluting cars to up to £2,000 a year as part of a package of measures designed to combat global warming...
The tenfold increase in vehicle excise duty for the worst offending cars would provide a “real incentive” for consumers to switch to more environmentally-friendly cars, the party’s climate change group has said. The Lib Dems propose that zero carbon vehicles should pay no road tax, and claim their plans would ensure that road transport emits no carbon by 2050...
The policy paper also suggests restricting Britain’s runway capacity to current levels and introducing new pollution taxes covering passenger and freight flights as part of a package to try to restrict the future expansion of air travel. (The Times)
This isn't a well thought out idea. There are no cars that are "zero carbon", and even the so-called "green" cars aren't as green as is claimed. £2,000 on "gas guzzlers" will not effect the rich who can afford them. People who buy these cars do so because they want to, and are willing to pay any extra for them.The tenfold increase in vehicle excise duty for the worst offending cars would provide a “real incentive” for consumers to switch to more environmentally-friendly cars, the party’s climate change group has said. The Lib Dems propose that zero carbon vehicles should pay no road tax, and claim their plans would ensure that road transport emits no carbon by 2050...
The policy paper also suggests restricting Britain’s runway capacity to current levels and introducing new pollution taxes covering passenger and freight flights as part of a package to try to restrict the future expansion of air travel. (The Times)
Just having a 4x4/SUV seems to be enough provocation for some people, as shown in this video:
Really, most of their reactions are just disgusting.
This road tax policy of the Lib Dems is not a good one. There is already a graduated vehicle excise duty, introduced back in 1998, depending on emission levels. What they re proposing amounts to a huge increase - from a maximum of £300 to £2,000! A far better way to encourage people to buy "green", more fuel-efficient, cars would be to abolish road tax entirely and add the tax onto fuel costs.
That way, those who drive more and have less environmentally friendly cars pay more, and those who don't drive much pay substantially less. That way old Mrs Miggins who only drives to the supermarket once a week for her weekly shop doesn't have to pay for the right to have her car, but just for the fuel to drive it. Whilst the mother who drives her little darlings to school every morning in her huge "gas guzzling" SUV pays for it. Thus it's not owning a non-green vehicle that makes you pay, but driving it and thus polluting.
The Liberal Democrats need to drop this bad policy, and that of restricting runway capacity. That would do nothing but hold back, if not actively harm, Britain's economy. Doing that is just giving in to the idiots at the Heathrow eco-camp.
Source: The Times
