The Chancellors car challenge.

[Belatucadrus]

DVLA vehicle excise page where you can work out how much you're going to give GB for the privilege of not using non existent public transport. Then you note, hurrah a zero tax band for low emission vehicles, what can I buy ? Unfortunately nothing, there's apparently only one production car that fits this bracket and that's a Smart diesel that's not available in the UK. It's set so low that even the Honda civic & Toyota Prius hybrid drive cars can't qualify. Another gift from the non driving chancellor, a whole tax band for non existent vehicles.

:D Who says the dour scot has no sense of humour.

[rong]

How come some countries in Europe (if not all) charge less tax fuel and road fund on diesels, and we charge more?

Also I can only afford old cars and the tax is high, is this another tax on the poor.

Sorry about what the last paragraph will stir up.

[catgate]

Lets be fair about all this. The Government acted immediately in the matter fuel consumption by its fleet of Ministerial Limousines. Granted that action was to ignore the matter, but the speed at which that ignoring was done can only be described as "world class". It makes one proud to be British. The French could not even have managed a miniscule shrug in the same time.

[Gandalph]

Poor John Prescott will have to walk 100 yards now instead of just jumping into a Jaguar for the ride. :lol:

[Tankus]

the extra charge ..is the same as half a tank of a 4x4 ....whoopeee ...were are saved

[Tony]

How come some countries in Europe (if not all) charge less tax fuel and road fund on diesels, and we charge more?

Also I can only afford old cars and the tax is high, is this another tax on the poor.

Sorry about what the last paragraph will stir up.

Hi

In Germany the cost of Diesel per Litre is cheaper by about 14p than petrol, but the road tax is almost double that of a petrol car.

So before buying a Diesel, you have to make sure that you do enough mileage in the year to benefit from the cheaper cost per litre.

We get lots of Smart Diesels over here, but i can't say that i would ever want one.

Tony

[andsome]

What difference does the year of registration make?

We are stuck with using cars round here, no matter what the costs are. We would take for ever to travel on the almost non existent public transport.

[edbanger]

We are stuck with using cars round here, no matter what the costs are. We would take for ever to travel on the almost non existent public transport.

Lots of people, for one reason or another have to rely on public transport no matter how long the journey takes.

[catgate]

Lots of people, for one reason or another have to rely on public transport no matter how long the journey takes.

So...?

I presume you are suggesting that because of this so should everyone else?

Well, a lot of people, for one reason or another suffer from piles...

[CurlyWhirly]

We would take for ever to travel on the almost non existent public transport.

I agree.

The cost wouldn't bother me as I would buy a weekly saver ticket but public transport is no good to me as when I'm on my day shift (6am start), I can't get into work on time and turning up for work an hour late every day wouldn't go down well with my boss.

[Belatucadrus]

I fondly remember the old subsidised public transport that was available when I was at Sheffield poly in the early eighties. It was cheap regular and reliable, everybody used it as it made the private car almost redundant for travel in and around the city. It showed that given money and brains public transport can work. Unfortunately it's not something that Tony, Two jags and all the related cronies have managed to replicate despite all their promises.

One obvious idea that has been considered but not implemented is an American style school bus system, anybody that drives to work regularly knows that during the school holidays the traffic levels plummet. While this appears obvious to many of us, somehow those that get chauffeure driven through the deserted parts of Kens congestion zone can't see it.

Unlike the egregious Jeremy Clarkson, I'd be quite happy to use the bus, but out here there hasn't been any public transport of any description for years.

[Watchful]

That's just what I think Bela. (I also can't stand JC) :angry:

[andsome]

Lots of people, for one reason or another have to rely on public transport no matter how long the journey takes.

So...?

I presume you are suggesting that because of this so should everyone else?

Well, a lot of people, for one reason or another suffer from piles...

Precisely my thoughts when I saw this post. Why should I take almost half a day to get somewhere by buses when I can do the same journey in half an hour by car. I would have no objection to using the public transport if it took up to twice as long.

[Thos]

I think this thread started because of a (very modest) attempt to charge, via road fund tax, for the emissions from road vehicles. And it was pointed out that the two vehicles exempted were not available in the UK. Fair enough. The highest rated vehicles for emissions had their VED increased by an amount which seems to have surprised many because of the lowness of the increase. For the rest of us I think, no change in Duty.

If you are looking for a stick to beat the Treasury with, I think there are more sound cases.

Thos. ;)

[Gandalph]

Lots of people, for one reason or another have to rely on public transport no matter how long the journey takes.

So...?

I presume you are suggesting that because of this so should everyone else?

Well, a lot of people, for one reason or another suffer from piles...

Precisely my thoughts when I saw this post. Why should I take almost half a day to get somewhere by buses when I can do the same journey in half an hour by car. I would have no objection to using the public transport if it took up to twice as long.

Quite agree andsome. Our Borders General Hospital is about 35 miles from where I live in Duns. It takes about 45 minutes by car and roughly two and a half hours by bus, as the bus goes through every village you can think of between us and the Hospital. There are only three buses per day run through here that actually go that way. Like it or not, we have to have a car to get anywhere up here. :(

[catgate]

Like it or not, we have to have a car to get anywhere up here. sad.gif

Then it is perfectly obvious that great nature has intended you to go nowhere. :)

[Gandalph]

Like it or not, we have to have a car to get anywhere up here. sad.gif

Then it is perfectly obvious that great nature has intended you to go nowhere. :)

I think that one of the things that it does point out catgate is, Gordon Brown's home constituency is the Kingdom of Fife and that area of Scotland is very much the same scenario as is the Borders where I reside. When he increases fuel taxes and all the rest of things to with transport it may not have the impact in London and the likes of Birmingham and Liverpool and so on where wages are far greater than they are here, but we are really hit a little bit harder. I know that people of Fife, when asked, have said they would never vote for Labour again thanks to Mr. Brown, especially if he became Prime Minister.

I don't know about nature intending us to go nowhere, but if Labour continue along the path it is taking we will be able to afford to get nowhere.

[lester1]

What difference does the year of registration make?

Newer cars are more efficient and produce less co2 :)

Unlike the egregious Jeremy Clarkson, I'd be quite happy to use the bus, but out here there hasn't been any public transport of any description for years.

I don't like him either he does not like Caravans :angry:

I think this thread started because of a (very modest) attempt to charge, via road fund tax, for the emissions from road vehicles. And it was pointed out that the two vehicles exempted were not available in the UK. Fair enough. The highest rated vehicles for emissions had their VED increased by an amount which seems to have surprised many because of the lowness of the increase. For the rest of us I think, no change in Duty.

If you are looking for a stick to beat the Treasury with, I think there are more sound cases.

Thos. ;)

Well said Thos :D

[Belatucadrus]

If you are looking for a stick to beat the Treasury with, I think there are more sound cases

Hundreds of them, but it just tickled me the way he introduces a zero band, then makes sure it's impossible to qualify.

Anybody think that was an accident? :rofl:

[catgate]

but if Labour continue along the path it is taking we will be able to afford to get nowhere.

But then this is exactly the crux of the matter. This government are currently taking us nowhere. Nowhere that is worth going to. They are out of their depth, as is every other government in the world.

As far as local bus services are concerned, apart from a small school bus, that passes our house each day outwards and inwards, there is one bus per week passes, and that goes to York on Saturday am and comes back Saturday pm. The roads are so narrow that two cars can not pass without one getting on to the grass, and that involves risking a broken spring in the pot holes,which are caused at the roads edge by wagons and tractors that are continually getting larger and heavier. With all this it is understandable why many people run 4x4s. Fortunately my motor car has traction control, otherwise I would be obliged to consider a 4x4 as a way of getting off the grass verge.

[Gandalph]

Crickey catgate, and I thought we were badly off for public transport with three buses per day and two and a half hours apart. Point taken about the roads, I know Yorkshire fairly well and the roads up here are not much better in certain areas.