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

[growingvegetables]

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

You mean like

- the taxes and duties on whisky should only be spent on distilleries?
- VAT should only be used to subsidise the retail and logistics industries?
- taxes on tobacco should only be used on smokers, providing comfortable smoking areas, protected from the weather ... oh, and dedicated, ring-fenced health-care?



Sorry - but this "hard-pressed-hard-taxed-motorist" whinge really annoys me.

 

[growingvegetables]

Oh, and as for hypothecated taxes, "hard-pressed-motorists" should perhaps be careful what they wish for ... this, for example?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

In other news cyclists pay billions in tax and get a load of bollards in return.

 

[mjr]

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

So, government thinks motorists are a £10bn-ish net cost in 2009, or if you add in all costs that some campaign groups say we should, it's well over £50bn. Yep, when will fuel tax be raised to cover the costs to society of casual motoring?

 

[Drago]

The sooner the better.

 

[User269]

All roads, apart from motorways and some trunk roads, are funded from council tax.

 

[growingvegetables]

All roads, apart from motorways and some trunk roads, are funded from council tax the responsibility of local authorities, funded by council tax and central government grant.

Tweaked a little - it's just a little more complex . And opaque.

 

[screenman]

Put the duty on fuel.

I think fuel duty may already be on fuel.

 

[jefmcg]

It's worth noting that most of our goods are transported by roads, so everyone pays fuel duty, not just motorists.

 

[srw]

It's worth noting that most of our goods are transported by roads, so everyone pays fuel duty, not just motorists.

Although if memory serves the amount of fuel duty and other taxes on lorries is nowhere near enough to compensate for the additional damage they do to roads over cars, let alone the other additional costs they impose on society.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

I think I'm getting a bargain for what I spend on running a car.
'Hard pressed motorist' is a myth.

 

[Moderators]

This thread has been temporarily locked as it's getting personal, off-topic and is treading dangerously close to a Politics thread. We'll unlock it after a clean-up and possible move.

 

[Moderators]

Mod Note

This thread is now open and remains in 'Advocacy' for the time being. Please stick to the topic of road funding, facts, myths and relevance to cycling. If you need to discuss the wider taxation and benefits systems, the EU, wealth inequality or economic theory then you all know where the Politics and Current Affairs forum lives >>>>>>>

Please also leave the personal stuff off the forum. Disagree by all means but keep it civil.

Thanks.