Petrol Prices - time to take action

[Jaded]

We need more investment in better transport options for all people and for all types of journeys without using fossil fuels.

No we don't. Not at first anyway. What we need first is a re-assessment of our levels of travel.

The last thing we need is to find something that allows "all types of journeys" since a very large proportion of those types is unnecessary.

 

[tdr1nka]

Picked this up off Reuters, just for the record.

'Britain levies the highest fuel duty in the European Union. Germany, takes nearly 10 per cent less in fuel duty.-- Britain's taxes on fuel includes duty and VAT. Britain charges 17.5 percent VAT, one of the lowest in the EU apart from Cyprus and Luxembourg which levy 15 percent and Spain which levies 16 percent VAT.
* Here is a table depicting the duty in Euros per litre in several EU countries for petrol and diesel as at December 2007:
COUNTRY: PETROL: DIESEL:
BRITAIN .69 .69
NETHERLANDS .66 .38
GERMANY .65 .47
BELGIUM .62 .31
FRANCE .60 .42
FINLAND .58 .31
PORTUGAL .58 .36
DENMARK .54 .36
SWEDEN .53 .39
AUSTRIA .48 .38
Sources: Reuters/The AA/EU stats.'

 

[jonesy]

You might also like to compare different EU countries in other taxes and charges on motorists: e.g. purchase taxes, VED equivalent, motorway tolls etc and indeed on the tax take more widely...

 

[Night Train]

No we don't. Not at first anyway. What we need first is a re-assessment of our levels of travel.

The last thing we need is to find something that allows "all types of journeys" since a very large proportion of those types is unnecessary.

I would include within 'transport options' the reassessment of transport need and length of journey as well as types of vehicle and types of power source. Some of those transport options would include walking and cycling and maybe assisted trollies and trailers for pedestrian and cyclist control for moving heavier goods and equipment for certain journey distances.

We are on the same page.

 

[LLB]

the energy intensive industries yes. the energy efficient ones will get by unscathed. the energy intensive industries have a choice of getting more efficient or putting up their prices, and consequently reducing their demand.

it's a free market and if the wasteful industries go under, it's no great loss globally. global warming is a great loss globally and a part abatement of its problems is a good thing.

it was bound to happen, sooner or later, it being a finite resource.

Can you show us some proof it is already happening and the resulting disruption to life as we know it, as I can see loads of natural disasters going on with enormous loss of life, but not many clues on the global warming front apart from the rantings of a few select on here and of course the 'la-nina' effect we are also experiencing.

This IPCC scaremongering is going to backfire with spectacular effect with the world economy collapsing and millions starving to death needlessly with the massive hike in veg oil crop prices.

All IMO of course!

 

[MrGrumpy]

How is it doing that? Fuel duties have barely increased at all over the last few years.

What I would like to see is increased fuel duty being used to vastly improve public transport.

well they ain`t exactly running to cut the tax are they ! which brings me onto using alternative fuels, how long before all the LPG and biofuels are taxed to the hilt as well ! Like I say i`m all for getting people of their bums but it would seem the only way they know how is to price people out of the car !

 

[Milo]

Stick to soapbox linf.

 

[jonesy]

well they ain`t exactly running to cut the tax are they ! which brings me onto using alternative fuels, how long before all the LPG and biofuels are taxed to the hilt as well ! Like I say i`m all for getting people of their bums but it would seem the only way they know how is to price people out of the car !

LPG and biofuels should be taxed just as much as petrol and diesel. Neither fuel confers significant environmental benefits (indeed, in the case of biofuel there is a risk of causing very significant harm) and, irrespective of the fuel used, a vehicle still takes up road space, needs somewhere to park, causes noise and disruption and presents a risk to other road users.

 

[palinurus]

this same email goes round every year, and has done for as long as I can remember, and does anyone take note?

It does indeed...

http://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/gasout.asp

 

[MrGrumpy]

LPG and biofuels should be taxed just as much as petrol and diesel. Neither fuel confers significant environmental benefits (indeed, in the case of biofuel there is a risk of causing very significant harm) and, irrespective of the fuel used, a vehicle still takes up road space, needs somewhere to park, causes noise and disruption and presents a risk to other road users.

car use aint going to dissappear, all other uses of transport are far from ideal, but lets have a decent choice which is a)reliable and cheap.

 

[jonesy]

car use aint going to dissappear, all other uses of transport are far from ideal, but lets have a decent choice which is a)reliable and cheap.

... and the connection with biofuel and LPG?

 

[MrGrumpy]

... and the connection with biofuel and LPG?

well it doesn`t matter what our cars are ran on there will be some huge form of taxation on that fuel and still congestion on the roads.

 

[jonesy]

well it doesn`t matter what our cars are ran on there will be some huge form of taxation on that fuel and still congestion on the roads.

indeed, that was my point; but it was you that mentioned LPG and biofuel in the first place, so presumably you had a reason?

 

[LLB]

Stick to soapbox linf.

this thread needs to be moved into the politics board

 

[Jaded]

car use aint going to dissappear, all other uses of transport are far from ideal, but lets have a decent choice which is a)reliable and cheap.

It will if there is no fuel. How else will they work? Flintstones?