'How much should petrol cost?' Poll discussion

WestonDave · 8 March 2011 at 2:11PM

In terms of preferences I would like to see them equalise the duty on aircraft fuel with the duty rates on road transport fuel. For many people in rural communities, use of a car is an essential - whereas air travel is a luxury. Few people need to travel for business in the current IT age, and those that do are paid for by their employers. Aviation fuel tax is 20p per litre cheaper than car petrol! Depending on the quantities used it would probably be something like a 5p per litre cut in petrol duty and a 15p per litre rise in aviation fuel duty to get them to the same rate whilst maintaining the tax take.

lucylucky · 8 March 2011 at 2:12PM

emidee wrote: »

60p - Cost + VAT, like (most) other goods.

Outside of London, it is difficult to live without a car now - and public transport is woefully inadequate.

Victimising the motorist is simply unfair; higher taxes across the board would be a much fairer alternative.

Really?

Where is this "outside of London" place?

grimsalve · 8 March 2011 at 2:20PM

I would be happy with £2 a litre if the extra revenue generated would actually make a difference or was somehow used to benefit the people who have to pay it. Eg. Maybe get rid of roadtax? Improve the roads? etc.

Unfortunately, I think the price will continue to creep up ... and we'll never see any positive results from the increases.

Pmarmalade · 8 March 2011 at 2:26PM

Slightly OT, but I'd like to see car tax abolished completely and recouped through petrol instead. If you have an inefficient car and do lots of miles you'll be punished much more than an efficient car doing the same mileage through petrol costs, anyway. However if you have an inefficient car and do 1k/yr per year you still have a flat rate to pay even though you are putting out much less emissions than someone in a "cleaner" car doing. 30k/yr.

Zyyb · 8 March 2011 at 2:34PM

The green agenda makes me angry. Higher taxation doesn't stop people from driving, people still have to get to jobs. It's an unprogressive tax hurting the poor more.

And where does the money go?! The bus costs a fortune around Norwich, it's £2.20 for a single to the city. If there were 3 of us, we could get a taxi cheaper!

I agree with the % idea, make it a 50% tax on the price of petrol and put every single penny into transport, dualling carriageways, bus lanes, hi-speed rail links etc

bbqforce10 · 8 March 2011 at 2:35PM

I say it should be £1.

The railways and many bus companies receive massive public subsidy (i.e. money from me and you as tax payers), and as someone who lives in rural Devon I receive no benefit from this as I have no option but to drive. There are no rail or bus services near me - driving is my only option.

So why should I subsidise public transport for those who live in cities, and pay even more tax every time I fill up my car?

The current situation is grossly unfair. Motorists should stop having to pay such high taxes on fuel.

What really needs to happen is for motorists in rural peripheral areas (like Devon and Cornwall) to pay less duty than those in cities (but this would be complex to implement).

Also, the government needs to stop this ridiculous proposal for the High Speed Rail link between London and Brimingham (HS2). It makes no economic sense and we cannot afford it. Instead they should focus on a minimum broadband speed to every house in the UK (such as 2mb) - this would do far more for the economy.

rant over.

emidee · 8 March 2011 at 2:59PM

lucylucky wrote: »

Really?

Where is this "outside of London" place?

Specifically.....outer Bristol. (I can only comment directly on my own experience).

My daughter is only in school for approximately 6 hours per day, no other childcare is available before / after this.

I would find it impossible to travel to university & back, & still be home in time to collect her at the end of the school day without my car. Buses only run once per hour, and the journey would take an hour each way - a total of 3 hours travelling per day (given the wait for a bus too). Not to mention that I'd miss most lectures that way!

If I had the luxury of being a stay at home Mum, or didn't want to better myself then I suppose a car wouldn't be necessary!

annieredhead · 8 March 2011 at 3:02PM

I think I have the solution...take 50p off the price of 1 litre of petrol and add 50p to a litre of spirits. Alcohol is not essential, it's a luxury. Petrol on the other hand IS essential to most people. Without my car I would be lost as I have chronic arthritis

lucylucky · 8 March 2011 at 3:05PM

emidee wrote: »

Specifically.....outer Bristol. (I can only comment directly on my own experience).

My daughter is only in school for approximately 6 hours per day, no other childcare is available before / after this.

I would find it impossible to travel to university & back, & still be home in time to collect her at the end of the school day without my car. Buses only run once per hour, and the journey would take an hour each way - a total of 3 hours travelling per day (given the wait for a bus too). Not to mention that I'd miss most lectures that way!

If I had the luxury of being a stay at home Mum, or didn't want to better myself then I suppose a car wouldn't be necessary!

Thanks

Would have been better to put "Outer Bristol" rather than make out that the entire population outside of London cannot do without a car.

grimsalve · 8 March 2011 at 3:11PM

annieredhead wrote: »

I think I have the solution...take 50p off the price of 1 litre of petrol and add 50p to a litre of spirits. Alcohol is not essential, it's a luxury. Petrol on the other hand IS essential to most people. Without my car I would be lost as I have chronic arthritis

I'm a dipsomaniac though, booze is essential to me.

I only need the car so I can get to and from the off licence.

'How much should petrol cost?' Poll discussion

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