"Drivers pay four times more in vehicle and fuel duties than is spent on the roads."

[Randy Butternubs]

I've just read this statistic from a letter to a newspaper. There was no citation.

My impression was that the opposite is true - that taxes on driving don't even pay for the motorways.

Does anyone have any good reference for how various roads are paid for versus the taxes on driving?

 

[Lonestar]

Always thought it was the opposite.

Though no doubt running a car is an expensive business.Though if that's a problem don't fricking drive instead of getting the hump with it.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-ne...4/only-a-quarter-of-car-tax-is-spent-on-roads

Though slightly dated this looks interesting.

 

[midlife]

There is no hypothecated taxation so it's not an unusual situation.

 

[Drago]

The various taxes and duty on motoring have always gone into the treasuries coffers. Its never been reserved or set aside specifically for "the roads".

 

[MikeG]

There is no hypothecated taxation so it's not an unusual situation.

There are examples at the margins. The TV license is one such, arguably. National Insurance is another. But in broad terms, you're dead right, and no-one has ever pretended that these taxes are anything other than just another revenue stream into the Treasury's coffers.

 

[Svendo]

There is no hypothecated taxation so it's not an unusual situation.

National Insurance? Couple of sources I looked at just now suggest it is entirely used to pay benefits and is topped up from general taxation.
Edited to acknowledge being beaten to it above by MikeG!

 

[midlife]

I'm not sure if NI is classed as a tax (or a duty) ?

 

[Drago]

Its a contribution. As a matter of practice though its a tax.

 

[jefmcg]

I'm not sure if NI is classed as a tax (or a duty) ?

Whatever it is, it's not a duty.

Well, you have a duty to pay, obviously but....

 

[MontyVeda]

The various taxes and duty on motoring have always gone into the treasuries coffers. Its never been reserved or set aside specifically for "the roads".

I thought Road Tax was specifically for roads until Churchill scrapped it in 1936ish?

[edit] from Wiki "In 1937 the direct relationship that existed between the tax and government expenditure on public roads was cut, the proceeds being treated as general taxation"

 

[mcshroom]

http://ipayroadtax.com/no-such-thin...vers-start-paying-the-full-costs-of-motoring/

 

[Cuddly Ocelot]

Put the duty on fuel.

 

[BoldonLad]

[QUOTE 5017055, member: 9609"]
And as for the brainless road tax taunt - apart from it being abolished in 1936 the VED is now based on how much pollution they are making, so they can shove that one back up their own oversized exhaust pipes.[/QUOTE]

Many modern cars (including mine) pay zero VED.

Oddly, my motorcycle incurs £41/year VED.

I think we are on a hiding to nothing trying to imply some commonsense in a system designed by Politicians.

 

[Drago]

What bike you got @BoldonLad? Can't quite make it out in your avatar.

Put the duty on fuel.

Put even more duty on fuel for private car use, cut down on some of the lazy-arriss unnecessary congestion we see daily. Private motoring is far, far too cheap considering the damage it does to society and the environment.

 

[BoldonLad]

What bike you got @BoldonLad? Can't quite make it out in your avatar.

.

Bike in the photo is a Kawasaki ER6, but, I do not have that any longer.

We have a Motorhome, and spend as much time as we can roaming Europe (isn't retirement a bitch?).

Although I had a motorcycle in my youth (a long time ago) I returned to in late in life, took motorcycle test at age 64, with intention of having motorcycle to provide additional transport (to bicycles) when wandering Europe.

SHMBO was not happy riding pillion, on it, so, the Kawasaki was traded for a Yamaha XMAX 250, which she still complains is too big, but, she does ride pillion.With aid of bluetooth headsets, she can give advice as we go along, which, I can ignore due to wind noise