Road Tax - for cyclists !!!!

[GAVSTER]

For the Scots amongst us ...

http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/latestnews/-Government-in-talks-over.5642372.jp

The story says that the SNP administrations wants to introduce a road tax for cyclists.

If you think this is a daft idea you can write to the minister in charge of finance in Scotland - John Swinney.

john.swinney.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

 

[cannondale boy]

I like how it quotes "Scottish Government's vision for cycling". Sorry to be a burden on you government but this is shambolic. This will only decrease cyclists in scotland not up them. It won't work!

 

[ELL]

What an idiot. Cyclist get TAX relief if they commute with the CTW but they then want to tax them for using the roads? don't see that this will ever happen especially when road tax at the moment is calculated by emissions and some cars don't even have to pay tax

 

[style over speed]

Since 2001 VED has been based on CO2 Emissions and further any vehicles emitting up to 100g of cardon dioxide per kilometer pay no duty.

This is just press release journalism to fill the empty pages.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I have a car, as well as bikes, so I already pay tax for that - therefore I should only pay tax for the bike if I'm driving the car and riding the bike at the same time!

 

[GrasB]

This is a non-event article. However this only works if cyclists are charged on a similar basis to other motorists. I have no problem paying around £430/year VED for my cars when one of my neighbours pays no VED on his Honda Insight. However his car will push out more CO2 & does far more damage to the road that me on my bike so why should I pay some kind of VED? It just doesn't make sense.

 

[Davidc]

VED for a car with zero CO2 emissions = £0

CO2 emissions for a bike = zero

VED for a bike on the same basis = £0

and if based on road damage from use they need to divide by about 10000: 0/10000 = 0!

The wonders of Soundbite Politics

 

[PatrickPending]

is it April 1st? MMmm as pointed out earler I my last 40,000km by bike has caused less road damage than your average 4*4 over 4km, plus isn't it based on CO2 emissions. A joke surely.....

 

[ufkacbln]

Since 2001 VED has been based on CO2 Emissions and further any vehicles emitting up to 100g of cardon dioxide per kilometer pay no duty.

This is just press release journalism to fill the empty pages.

My angle (as always) but reading this differently - it is a new tax for road use, not assimilating cyclists into the present system.

As a born cynic this is the "sub plot" introduce a road usage tax for cyclists which will be popular with the "you don't pay road tax" brigade and then bring the other groups in line with cyclists?

 

[andrew-the-tortoise]

From a personal perspective wouldn't object to paying a small yearly fee, as I don't own a car - but I doubt if the funds would be used effectively.
I feel the whole system would be unworkable. Would you pay tax for each cycle you own? How would it be enforced?

I thought there were no ring-fenced funds for road maintenance.

Net effect would be to push up car congestion and create further wear and tear on roads.

 

[semislickstick]

Road tax? Let's just ride on the pavements! Simples.

 

[Velorum]

The only way I can see this working is for it to be part of a system of registration for each cycle similar to motor vehicles.

This seems rather far fetched - but I guess that we should not underestimate the need to extract as much tax revenue from joe public as possible - so I wouldnt rule it out............

 

[LordoftheTeapot]

If it was feisable, it would of happened years ago

 

[Virtual DBP]

politics show just on... swinney was asked if he was about to tax cyclists... one word answer "No"

 

[Velorum]

If it was feisable, it would of happened years ago

Fair point.

The late early 70's Tory and late 70's Labour lot would have probably gone for it.............