ChatterBank1 min ago
New Car Tax Per Mileage
52 Answers
Not sure if this is correct at the time of typing this, but my partner read something online about proposed plans to charge motorists car tax per mile.
Not sure how this will work on my car as its a Citroen C1 and I only pay £20 a year. But it becomes per mile it surely won't encourage motorists to have small economical cars.
Or am I barking up the wrong tree?
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ToraToraTora,
I can see your logic behind that, 3 empty seats it must be too cheap, but in real terms, its still an expensive item to own, its always going to be the next expensive thing next to your house.
But a house stays the same price if 5 people live in it or just one.
Same for a car. I suppose the alternative is a motorbike or cycle, but I've never felt safe on either of those. Too many nutter drivers about.
THECORBYLOON,
I can't say for sure but I think ToraToraTora meant that you don't need to be wealthy to own a car.
Personally I disagree that motoring is a cheap thing. I find owning a car is a luxury really. If I could get about without one I would, being a motorist these days is no fun really, too many drivers who think they own the road taking far too many risks. But here in rural Cornwall a car is a need not a want. Life would be very difficult without one.
I thought his theory a car is cheap if its got 3 empty seats, but thats not always the case, normally my partner and our daughter is in the car, unless I'm driving to work.
I think if we added up what a car actually cost to run for a year we would have a shock, when I say run I mean everything, fuel, tax, mot's, insurance, repairs, tyres. We probably would have a fright!
Obviously it depends on the individual and how many miles we do, but I bet its still shocking.
I probably spend over 2k a year just on fuel, plus theres my partners car, and she does more miles than me as shes a carer.
"is it fair for someone who travels 5,000 mile a year to pay the same VED as his or her neighbour who drives a similar car 20,000 mile a year?"
Of course. The road & rail infrastructure is a common good and since government has decided to lump drivers with much of the cost then the same contribution from each is a reasonable system. Of course other systems could be argued for, perhaps one that differs for private and commercial; but not one that collects data on where and how far you go. That's beyond acceptance in a decent society that approves of personal freedoms and privacy.
The folks who do high mileages pay via the tax on their fuel costs. VED is simply a tax for keeping a vehicle on the road. But electric vehicle owners may be getting off lightly.
I would have 3 classes based on vehicle weight - under 1 tonne, 1-2 tonne & 2-3 tonne. In each class there would be a rate for electric (or hydrogen), hybrid, fossil fuel.
naomi: "I thought the idea of charging per mile was in addition to road tax - not instead of. Is that wrong?" - When it's been brought up in the past it's always been meant as a replacement for VED. The issue is the ever growing number of electric cars paying nothing means dropping revenue. Though it's not set in stone.
