Fears Tax Shortfall May Lead To Road Tolls

[martyh]

Drivers could face toll charges or a 50% rise in fuel duty in future years to cover a £13bn hole in Treasury coffers, according to a new report.
Revenue from vehicle excise and fuel duty is expected to plunge over the next 15 years as more drivers turn to eco-friendly cars.

Fuel duty collected by the Exchequer currently stands at 1.7% of gross domestic product (GDP) but this is due to fall to 1.1% of GDP by 2029
Vehicle excise duty (VED) will also drop over this period, from 0.4% of GDP to 0.1%, creating a combined fall that leads to the £13bn shortfall

http://news.sky.com/home/politics/article/16228241


looks like all these green cars are going to be a problem

[jempalmer]

I've never owned a green car, they're supposed to be unlucky

[martyh]

Originally Posted by jempalmer

I've never owned a green car, they're supposed to be unlucky

heh heh

[Taf]

And as fuel prices rise, lower mileage will be done, so even lower tax revenue. Any consumer efficiency will eventually cause a price increase... ditto power and water.

[Hugh]

The important word in the OP is 'could'......

I have noticed this more and more in reporting recently - speculation and caveats rather than facts; 'could', 'may', 'suggests that', 'sources say', etc, etc, rather than 'have', 'will', 'named source', etc, etc....

This way the reporters can weasel out if/when it does not come to pass, but have managed to stir the ordure nicely....

[Maggy J]

Has anyone checked the price of your average green cars.Heard yesterday of an electric car that cost £100 per year to run but cost £30,000 to buy..

Frankly those sorts of prices have just got to adjust before electrics or hybrids take over.

[martyh]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Has anyone checked the price of your average green cars.Heard yesterday of an electric car that cost £100 per year to run but cost £30,000 to buy..

Frankly those sorts of prices have just got to adjust before electrics or hybrids take over.

starting price for a Toyota Prius is £21,100 .Toyota say it will do 74mpg and has 0 road tax ,so that's going to do the treasury coffers a lot of good .I bet we see the 0 tax band disappear soon

http://www.toyota.co.uk/cgi-bin/toyo...-specification

[mertle]

Article daft really because what will most obvious thing happen is VED will be same as normal cars in time.

They assume green cars will always have zero or little VED charge.

The other is they may drop VED altogether for ALL cars then up fuel duty. Which actually most logic thing save costs in chasing VED fraudsters.

Either way it will be balanced.

Think article looks at thing like tunnel vision.

on another note companies running private toll motorway may pull out. They now lost 50% road users. Which might kill plans for the privatisation motorways according RAC.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...oad-cuts-value

---------- Post added at 21:06 ---------- Previous post was at 21:04 ----------

Originally Posted by martyh

starting price for a Toyota Prius is £21,100 .Toyota say it will do 74mpg and has 0 road tax ,so that's going to do the treasury coffers a lot of good .I bet we see the 0 tax band disappear soon

http://www.toyota.co.uk/cgi-bin/toyo...-specification

beat me too it as the prices was high there was not in mainstream customers. Now they air coming into this masses sector like I said but you beat me. ZERO VED will get scrapped.

H

[devilincarnate]

Why would we need road trolls?

Whoops sorry it say road tolls

Need to read better

[jempalmer]

Don't they lurk under bridges and demand payment for safe passage? Come to think of it, not much different....

[Cobbydaler]

Originally Posted by mertle

on another note companies running private toll motorway may pull out. They now lost 50% road users. Which might kill plans for the privatisation motorways according RAC.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...oad-cuts-value

It seems much easier to get through Birmingham on the toll free M6 since the managed motorway scheme went fully live.

May explain the drop in vehicles using the toll road...

[heero_yuy]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Has anyone checked the price of your average green cars.Heard yesterday of an electric car that cost £100 per year to run but cost £30,000 to buy..

Frankly those sorts of prices have just got to adjust before electrics or hybrids take over.

Problem here is the cost and durability of the battery. I did see one manufacturer address this by renting you the battery and replacing it when it inevitably goes phut and these hi-tech LION batterys don't last like a normal lead-acid car battery.

The full costs involved with an all-electric vehicle make putting petrol in your tank overall IMHO a better bet.

Either way the government is wedded to transport taxes of whatever type to fund other parts of public expenditure.

[Peter_]

Maybe this is the answer.

Wind-Powered Car 'Could Cut China's Smog'

A Chinese farmer has invented a wind-powered electric car that he says could save his country from the pollution caused by its rapidly growing car market.

[mertle]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

Problem here is the cost and durability of the battery. I did see one manufacturer address this by renting you the battery and replacing it when it inevitably goes phut and these hi-tech LION batterys don't last like a normal lead-acid car battery.

The full costs involved with an all-electric vehicle make putting petrol in your tank overall IMHO a better bet.

Either way the government is wedded to transport taxes of whatever type to fund other parts of public expenditure.

indeed batteries have short believe 10 year lifespan very expensive to replace. Think its vauxall got £100 per month battery scheme which covers you for life swap battery.

Factor this all in including electric charging its not cheap motoring.

Now if Hydrogen cars Take off this might be serious threat. Again they could duty on hydrogen filling up stations.

Like I said think sky overly playing the issue possible scaremongering the situation.

There many ways recoup it before going tolls it maybe the escuse government needs to toll roads which is fear.

If they do go ahead they will drive motorist off the road make things worse.

My mum said about smokers they hate them but they dont hate there tax cash cow. Its similar situation they gone from sole taxation for what its used for to help fund other things.

Now in quandry. well series governments should thought about it.

What will happen when oil not there.

I would think the losses tax revenue from drivers giving up is major issue.

---------- Post added at 10:22 ---------- Previous post was at 10:12 ----------

Originally Posted by Peter_

Maybe this is the answer.

Wind-Powered Car 'Could Cut China's Smog'

cracking idea this what electric cars need solution to charge cars on the move.

Whether by kenetic energy or by other source.

Wind turbine is good solution problem with his vehicle when it in traffic might nt charge the car it only when at certain speed but its start to address issues.

My one worry about electric is its not impulse car like petrol engine. It needs charging fully before it can go out.

The solution was I believe one company looking at it garages swapped charged batteries for you.

french air car was another plus water engine been developed too.

These more solutions for third world countries but his idea neds developing.

[Chris]

This story should be taken as seriously as any Daily Mail headline that ends in the phrase 'could cause cancer'. It's idle speculation from a hack with an empty in-tray.