Will the goverment try to introduce 'Cyclists Tax' in the future?

[teamsoutheast]

Hi everyone,

Just thought I might put this out there for discussion. With the increase in cyclists on the roads do you think the government will start trying to tax us at some point? I'm not sure hw they will manage to do it but i'm sure they are thinking of ways to try and extract money out of us.

 

[sabian92]

Probably. They've increased taxes on everything else. It'll be compulsory registration plates and a licence next too.

 

[snorri]

The government has been taxing me for more years than I care to remember.

 

[sheddy]

Do the Dutch tax their cyclists ?

 

[Banjo]

So long as we get taxed at the same rate as zero emission cars I dont mind.

 

[ianrauk]

no

 

[numbnuts]

helmet tax

 

[Woz!]

They don't even seem to be able to enforce brakes being installed on bikes so what chance do they have of a tax?

 

[neil earley]

think they will as they are trying to tax everything else !!

 

[ian turner]

Check out the road tax rates for cars . Note any vehicle with CO2 emissions under 30g per km pays no road tax so under that scheme you'd merely be adding to DVLC costs without providing an additional revenue stream.

 

[Cyclopathic]

Can we not defend ourselves against tax and registration because the benefits of more people cycling offset any expense in providing suitable infrastructure. Also I am fed up with explaining to car drivers that cyclists pay for the roads like anybody else, through general taxation and that the road fund license is not what pays for the roads. Oooh it gets me so cross it does.

 

[Twizit]

Financially I can see the government trying to bring something in if revenues are falling from other road tax sources.

Politically it's a tough one to argue though given all the positive benefits of cycling to the population. That said I wouldn't put it past some MPs to try and dress it up as a helmet tax or compulsory insurance "tax" or similar.

I just work on the assumption that my tax bill will continue to go up every year no matter what - just need to make sure earnings keep pace....

 

[jnb]

Can't really see it happening with the present government as while they might change taxes to alter the rates or what items are covered they seem less willing to bring in completely new taxes. So on that basis cycles are already taxed through VAT, other than that you'd have to find an existing tax which could be extended to cover cycles. VED is the only one which springs to mind and as there are plenty of zero rated cars it's difficult to see how there could be justifiable argument for that.

 

[nightoff]

I don't see how they could enforce a tax on cycling unless they did it at the point of sale by way of a new bike tax over and above VAT. This would be counter productive to encouraging more people to take up cycling.

What next, a tax on pedestrians where we are all made to carry a GPS device and are taxed on miles walked?

 

[Paulus]

At what age would the goverment enforce a cycle tax? Over 16, over 12, It would be a logistical nightmare and cost more to collect and enforce than the sum total.