Government reacts to pay-per-mile plea to charge drivers for every trip (original) (raw)
A pay-per-mile driving tax would see drivers, even those with electric cars, pay for every mile they drive on UK roads
A campaign group is calling on the Government to introduce a pay-per-mile driving tax(Image: Getty)
The UK government has released an official update on the proposed pay-per-mile car tax, a scheme that would charge drivers for every mile they drive in an attempt to fill a gap in government finances. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is being encouraged to introduce a pay-per-mile system for UK drivers to prevent a "black hole" from lost fuel duty revenue.
Campaign for Better Transport (CBT), a public transport charity, made the appeal, claiming it would be supported by the public. The proposal suggests that zero emission vehicle (ZEV) drivers, such as those driving electric cars, should be charged based on their mileage.
According to the plan, drivers who own a ZEV before the implementation date would be exempt, encouraging the transition to electric vehicles. Duties on petrol, diesel and other fuels currently generate approximately £25 billion annually for the Treasury.
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This amount is predicted to decrease as more drivers switch from traditionally-fuelled cars to ZEVs. However, the idea of introducing per-mile charges, also known as road pricing, has been deemed too politically toxic by successive governments. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter
Silviya Barrett, CBT's director of policy and campaigns, stated: "ZEV drivers should fairly contribute towards vehicle taxation" and advocated for a "simple charge" based on "regular odometer readings", reports Lancs Live.
She continued: "We fully appreciate that such a change would be perceived as difficult and criticised by the opposition and by certain representative groups. However, our research demonstrated the general public supports such a move."
The RAC said a "replacement form of taxation needs to be introduced to avoid losing billions". It called for the new system to be "simple and fair to drivers of both conventional and electric vehicles".
In an official statement, a Government spokesperson said: "We have no plans to introduce road pricing. We are committed to supporting our automotive sector as we transition to electric vehicles in order to meet our legally binding climate targets. "