Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:58 pm Post subject: Fax to my MP this evening
Dear Steve Webb,
I hope you can assist with an area over which I am struggling:
I used to own a 1984 Land Rover which was bad for the environment. I therefore changed it for a nearly new Vauxhall Frontera, which is a part time 4 x 4, but typically I use it in 2 x 4 mode. It has an economy based engine, with Cat, returning a respectable 28 mpg on urban cycle, which isn't bad for a ton of vehicle which is essential to my family's daily activities and lifestyle.
Enough of the background. I notice that this year my annual car tax will be £200.00, then next year £300.00 and the year after £400.00.
Furthermore, If I now decide to forget the environment and instead focus on my own home economics, I could change vehicle again and drive a pre 2001 gas guzzler of any old proportions, and not pay the duty increase.
Am I missing something here, or is it the case that the government changes in duty will encourage me to purchase the very thing that the changes were designed to make less popular?
On a second point, is it not the case that drivers of inefficient vehicles will already pay more at the pump to the Government anyway, without the liability assumed for also paying through the annual duty?
i would appreciate your thoughts on this, and welcome any assistance you might give in the House.
I don't think the increase is anything to do with environmental issues, just another way of getting more money whilst using the issue as a political platform.
Be interested to hear what reply you get back though, my sister lives in the back of beyond on a small struggling farm, this will hit her, like yourselves, quite hard.
bet you don't get one as he will have been inundated!!! _________________ "If we reduce the amount of stuff we allow to accumulate in our lives, we won't have to organise it"
Elaine St James from her book 'Simplicity'
Thank you for your message. I am sorry that I have not been able to reply
sooner.
My party's line has consistently been that more polluting vehicles should
have a higher road tax, but that this should only apply to new vehicles.
The
logic of this is that people would be faced with a choice about economy at
the time of purchase. This is exactly what you have tried to achieve. It is
unfair and ineffective to slap a higher tax on cars that are already owned
or being sold on, because the element of free choice has been taken away.
This is a point that the Lib Dems have been making repeatedly in
Parliament.
However, you have made a further interesting observation, which is the
financial incentive to keep pre-2001 cars on the road, regardless of the
pollution they create. I will write to the Chancellor with your concerns
and
will let you have the reply as soon as I can.
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