Road Tax...again

[mike killay]

I hear a rumour that they will soon cease to issue the round tax discs because the Police can easily check all the details from the number plate.
Would this not also be a good time to rename the Vehicle Excise Duty to
Vehicle Pollution Tax?

 

[tillson]

They did a similar thing with MoT certificates a few years ago by ceasing to issue a physical paper certificate. Motor insurance, MoT and VEL are all linked into the Police's computer systems and ANPR system, so the need for an easily forgeable paper disk in the window has gone.

The VEL (Road Tax) is nothing to do with pollution or the funding of road building & maintenance. The title simply camouflages the true identity of the tax. The VEL is merely a means of raising money to be squandered on badly thought out projects administered by people who posses absolutely no knowledge of the issues that they are in charge of.

 

[flecc]

Not a rumour, "Road Tax" disc will cease to be used in October 2014.

Good thing too, makes a change for motorists to have one less imposition instead of the constant stream of more.

 

[Clockwise]

But what will happen to all the tax disc holder sellers on ebay?

 

[flecc]

But what will happen to all the tax disc holder sellers on ebay?

Someone will set up a support charity for them no doubt, and there's certain to be PTSD counselling for them in the mad age we now live in.

 

[mike killay]

My main point is that because cyclists are often accused of not paying 'Road Tax', by naming it a pollution tax graduated to emissions, we should escape some of the opprobrium.

 

[flecc]

My main point is that because cyclists are often accused of not paying 'Road Tax', by naming it a pollution tax graduated to emissions, we should escape some of the opprobrium.

Valid point Mike, the VED is already directly linked to the individual pollution levels of vehicles, but I doubt it would make much difference to motorists attitudes. The fact is that motorists are increasingly fed up with the way they are being treated in every respect and will tend to look for outlets for their frustration. Cyclists being the very real obstruction that they are and often lawless as well are bound to become a primary outlet. It's wrong I know, but it's the way humans are.