POLL: Should a pay-per-mile car tax charge be introduced? Vote as VED charges set to rise


Motorists can give their views on whether car tax fees should be dramatically overhauled to introduce a new pay-per-mile system. 

The Transport Committee launched a consultation on road pricing back in 2020 as MPS considered the future of motoring charges. 

The London Assembly Transport Committee also launched an investigation into the future of smart road user charging last year. 

Under the current rules, only petrol and diesel cars built after April 1, 2017, pay a standard fee to use the roads.

Vehicles built after April 2017 are charged based on how much CO2 leaves the tailpipe with the most polluting vehicles slapped with heavy rates. 

Finance experts at Pete Barden have warned VED charges are set to rise again by around six percent from April 1, 2024.

It means cars producing over 255g/km of CO2 will pay £735 per annum while owners of brand new cars will also be hit. 

First-year VED rates are predicted to rise by £140 with some petrol and diesel owners set to splash out a staggering £2,745. 

Meanwhile, fully electric vehicles are exempt from the fees with motorists paying no VED charges until April 2025. 

Fuel duty and vehicle excise duty raise some £35billion a year and genuine concerns have emerged about how the Government will plug the gap as more motorists take up EVs.

The Transport Committee warned: “Without radical reform, policies to deliver net zero emissions by 2050 will result in zero revenue for the Government from motoring taxation. 

“A failure to replace existing motoring taxes with an alternative road charging mechanism will lead to either decreased investment in public services, including road maintenance, or increased Government borrowing. 

“The Government must start an honest conversation with the public on the funding implications for road development and maintenance and for other essential public services of decreased revenue from vehicle excise duty and fuel duty.”

A survey by the Social Market Foundation revealed that 38 percent support the scheme compared to 26 percent who were against it. 

The think tank Resolution Foundation suggested that a 6p per mile fee could be the right approach. 

They claimed the new charge could be “collected using GPS data” and paid via monthly direct debits. 

However, Startline’s used car tracker showed that 55 percent were against the idea of a 6p per mile fee. 

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has since denied a pay per mile was being worked on, admitting it was “not on the table”.

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