Motorists face having to pay increased road tax as the Treasury considers plans to claw back hundreds of millions of pounds in revenue that will be lost as drivers opt for greener carsDrivers of 'green' cars have long been enjoying tax breaks in road taxes not available to drivers of others gas guzzlers like Chelsea tractors.
Labour has accused the Coalition of planning a “stealth tax” on drivers, effectively punishing them for going greenQuite rightly so. Why should so-called green cars enjoy tax breaks for using the same roads?
necessary to ensure the “sustainability of the public finances”
Greenie logic? Now there's an oxymoron if ever there was one.
Posts
10 comments:
Why indeed? Perhaps because greener cars produce less emissions, and therefore cause less pollution than standard vehicles? It's not just roads that are affected by cars, air quality is too. If we factor in diminished air quality as a negative externality of driving, then it stands to reason that there should be some reward for driving in such a manner that reduces this negative externality.
Poor air quality is a symbol of man's dominance of nature. Those who drive big inefficient cars should be rewarded with tax breaks! It's the capitalist way! Conservative logic, not so much oxymoronic as straight out moronic.
Alex, it doesn't matter one iota about the 'green-ness' of negative externalities as you put it, a gas guzzling Chelsea tractor weighing 2500kg or a supposedly more efficient green vehicle weighing 2500kg does the same road surface damage.
Should the populace God forbid listen to greenie types and migrate en-masse to pushbikes or public transport, who would then pay for our roads or public transport corridors? Mr "I get green rebates / pay less in road tax" won't be too happy if 5-10 years down the track he is suddenly fingered for his unpaid share of transport upkeep. Maybe bike riders should pay also? After all they require prime flat well surfaced roading real estate.
The pollies have seen the writing on the wall - their cash cow road taxes are drying up putting their numerous non-roading projects in jeopardy.
The UK is going there, as is Oregon. More roading taxes can be wrung out of motorists? We will be a fast follower. Next thing every vehicle will have GPS trackers for more efficient revenue gathering and even automated writing of speeding infringements.
Moronic Anon, If you'd only hesitate and properly read the post before dribbling on the keyboard, you might notice that the argument was about rabid greenie types paying their fair share.
Define fair share Einstein. Hummer drivers should be rewarded for their contribution to the pollution of the earth we all enjoy so heartily. It's not fair otherwise.
Oh and you're retarded. Just saying.
"Green" cars cause less pollution, Alex? Really?
So where are the batteries made? On Mars? Battery production is a very polluting business. And where does the electricity come from that they use to re-charge those batteries? Chances are, from a coal-fired power station.
You need to look at those inconvenient things called "facts". :)
Well put Kg. I stayed away from that side of the energy equation.
The 'green' energy equation stops at the wall socket, forgetting about the Huntly power station at the other end of the wiring.
Or as you've rightly pointed out, the batteries / electric motors with ultra scarce rare earth metals, a limited lifetime for effective use and hideous disposal costs. None of these costs are in the 'clean green' energy equation.
@ KG - You're absolutely right mate, we should all be riding bikes. Even green cars won't stop pollution.
Stupid baby boomers. You don't even realise what you've done to this world.
I know, anon. It's terrible, isn't it? Improved the quality and length of life for virtually every human being in the planet. Dramatically improved the quality of air and water in every single town and city in the first world. Through the use of trade and free markets, brough both china and India out ofnthe middle ages and into modernity. Gosh, let's go hunt us some boomers and string the bastards USA,
Actually, 3 blips on the record. Boomers gave the world the environmental movement, which has been responsible for the dramatic slowing down of growth, productivity and (ironically) environmental protection over the last 25 years. (2) Al Gore is a boomer, and (3) that mass murderer Rachel Carson was a boomer.
Apart from that, thanks boomers!
Post a Comment