Genealogy Chat

Yes, I got one of those too, Christine. The tone of it was Blair all over to me - no idea what the general population really think and he doesn't seem particularly bothered, either.

I got my reply From the Prime Minister this morning only it did not go into my IN box it went into the place it deserved to be into the JUNK MAIL. I got the impression he is not interested all he wants is to hit motorist again. Will he pay for all the motoring he does or will it be classed as for the Country so we will have to pay. Christine

Just one thing that came out on the BBC news this Evening They were talking to a Minister. It came out that this extra road tax is going to be extra to the present road tax and fuel tax NOT as a lot of people are thinking and taking over from the other taxes. He said they would have to look in the future at the present taxes. Christine

nudged, last day to add your name is today, over 1 million so far

Another look at the maths: If your car does 45mpg that's 10 miles per litre. Current tax on a litre is about 60p, so the tax is 6p per mile. The top rate for road pricing is being put forward at 134p per mile. That is 22 (TWENTY TWO) times the current tax. The equivalent of £13.20 per litre of fuel, or over £60 per gallon. If your car does 30mpg then tax is currently 9p per mile and you will pay 134p, or FIFTEEN times as much or £9 per litre equivalent. Who can afford that?

I do not drive and have no intention of getting a car. However, I signed the petition as I see the issue as yet another attack on civil liberties, freedom of movement and, above all, common sense! Other posters have pointed out that they are already heavily taxed on petrol. I agree. Surely if the Government merely wants to discourage people from using their cars then a much simpler and fairer way would be to increase the petrol tax even more. If you drive a fuel-guzzler or drive a lot, then you will end up paying more in any case. To prevent costs of public transport and food rising ridiculously, there should be exemptions for things like freight. Why does the Government need to turn it into a complicated system involving mass-surveillance when the same deterrent can be achieved through a simple system of higher fuel costs? They already have a very poor record on squandering money on computerised records which either fail catastrophically or get outsourced to countries with shoddy security, enabling the criminal element to gain access to confidential information. If they really wanted to save the environment and get people out of their cars, maybe the public transport system could be made efficient and affordable? Tracey

Just looked at the site - it now has 762,373 signatures. As that is over 750,000 I assume there is now no need to sign the petition?

Employed as a carer and drive from house to house caring for the elderly who foots my bill

just signed current figure 707590!

[Quote]Now the horror statistics, Quote 'A non working mother who used the car to take the kids to school paid £86 in one month........' - How many miles to school (and back - twice daily)? Only one mile equals 80 miles per month.... [Quote]Under the new proposal the same mileage - '10,000 miles per year' - (if driven outside peak times on roads classified as minor) would cost you £200approx. - How many of the 10,000 miles would/could be 'driven outside peak times on roads classified as minor'...? Done the calculations, but only on selected (and unspecified) variables.... Without extremely accurate AND AGREED criteria, figures can be used/manipulated to support any and every view going.... ;-) This is where the problem is - they swamp us with statistics ('there are lies, damned lies, and statistics') until we're all totally confused - as said, 'Seriously, we'll probably try it then realise, like the French did, that it's a bad idea' - but then we'll be stuck with it, because we won't protest/strike/riot like the french if we don't like it.... :-) Kevin

Isn't this on top of fuel tax?

OK I'm a sad b****** and I've done the calculations. If you do 10,000 miles per year in a car doing an average of 30 mpg you currently give the exchequer £973.83 in fuel tax and the VAT on fuel PLUS £175 on your road fund licence. Thats 1148.83 per year. (You can work out your own figures at http://www.abd.org.uk/fuel_tax_calculator.htm) Under the new proposal the same mileage (if driven outside peak times on roads classified as minor) would cost you £200approx. Now the horror statistics, Quote 'A non working mother who used the car to take the kids to school paid £86 in one month.' Err, Thats the equivalent of £1032 per year. (I'd protest too, damn govt. reducing my bill like that! How dare they. Don't they realise I am responsible for keeping all those 4X4 companies going. How much status will I have at the school gates when they find out I'm only paying £86 a month' :-)))) Seriously, we'll probably try it then realise, like the French did, that it's a bad idea.

Lets face it, we've already b******d the planet so your grand children and their children are doomed. (I'm not joking) There is, at most 10 maybe 20 years of fossil fuel left, but no amount of tax is going to resolve the problems. It will take major legislation from on high and even then it will be unpopular and the govt. will be voted out. Taken from the BBC website: Human activity is likely to increase global temperatures by 1.8-4C over the next century, scientists warn. Now 1.8 is not a huge amount, until you take into consideration that the planets mean temperature is about 54 degrees fahrenheit (about 12 centigrade) Take a look at the graph on http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/pubs/jones2004/jones2004.html I am not saying that only cars are responsible for this but they do play a part. (I play a part by using this computer) Thank God I live on top of a hill and can afford sunblock! (Another degree and the Scots Pine trees will die out)

646,024

Hi Re the post about not paying road tax ins etc, the police now have a device fitted that reads your number plate and logs onto a central computer , which tells them if there any insurance or road tax details If you have noticed litte black cameras near traffic lights they also photograph your tax disc to see if it is valid. We are already taxed as we drive through petrol , if this new tax is brought in will they stop the tax on petrol?. I think ideas are needed to stop people using their cars too much , eg dropping kids to school when they only live 200 yards down the road , traffic around here is horrendous between 8.30 and 9am with parents dropping their kids to school. Obviously if you live in a rural area there is a need for a car, but people are becoming lazy , my sister in law will drive round a car park for ages to get as close as she can to the shop door. Lorraine

I would have thought public transport will be exempt - to encourage people to use it and not private vehicles.

I'm wondering how this charge will affect public transport. Will they have to pay the charges too? If so, will that get passed on to us? Either way, we'd lose out.

How long before they email you I filled it in and it says you will get an emal which you need to click on a responce to register your signing and as yet have had no email in about 4 hours John

Yes, they reckon there are a million or something horrendous with no insurance on the road - thats what knocks up our insurance premiums and then there are the tax dodgers and the ones driving without a licence or mot. They must be able to think of a scheme to get this lot paying up or off the road.

Thank you all for your response !!!!! One thing that has not been answered by anybody is WHO PAYS FOR THE BLACK BOX IN THE CAR I bet the car owner will have some of the cost. Ok I realise something has to be done but when you think of it someone will be able to build something to get round the black box. When labour was in power before, just before they were kicked out of power, they put a proposal forward to get rid of car tax and put the tax on fuel. This to me would aradicate the tax dodgers straight away and those who use cars more would pay more. Though there would have to be something done even then to help the disabled who have no choice but to use their cars. Christine