Currently reading: Fuel tax hiked 2p a litre
Motoring groups hit out at tax rise

Motorists will pay 2p a litre more for fuel from today, after the government increased taxes.

The move has been slated by opposition MPs and motoring groups, and is part of a series of five scheduled tax hikes - not all motoring related - to raise £10 billion between now and the general election, to help pay for public borrowing.

This 2p a litre hike was delayed from last year because of high oil prices. It will generate £1.3 million a day in additional revenue for the Treasury, according to the AA, and means that the taxman takes 65 per cent of the price of a litre of petrol.

An AA spokesman said: “Fuel is the biggest item on the family shopping list. Either they will have to siphon off other parts of their budget or they will have to reduce their petrol consumption. Neither is good for the prospects of recovery.”

The Conservatives said: “Family budgets are being squeezed yet further.”

The party is consulting on plans for a “fair fuel stabiliser” to replace the current fuel tax regime, so that tax falls when the price rises, and rises when petrol prices fall.

“This would protect the public finances from fluctuations in the international oil price and help families cope with rapid changes in the cost of living,” a spokesman said.

The car scrappage scheme is also scheduled to end before the next election, with the government already signalling that it won't extend the scheme.

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The Colonel 1 September 2009

Re: Fuel tax hiked 2p a litre

rosstopher wrote:
I can't take anyone seriously that uses the phrase "fat cat".

Unless they are refering to Bagpuss, of course.

rosstopher 1 September 2009

Re: Fuel tax hiked 2p a litre

moe360 wrote:
fat cat MPs

I can't take anyone seriously that uses the phrase "fat cat".

Peter Cavellini 1 September 2009

Re: Fuel tax hiked 2p a litre

So that's roughly twelve pounds fifty a week increase for a rep on the road for fifty weeks a year, cut out the fags and going to the pub at the weekend, go out once a month, that'll cover some of the increase, a little pain to gain isn't so bad, we all want our wages to increase in ever larger amounts to cover the costs of living but that's just never going to happen and we all know that.There are lots of other areas that are ignored by us the public, 24 hour drinking, cheap alcohol on multi-buys at supermarkets, just two areas that if we all just cut back especially in a recession, then 2p on a litre of petrol wouldn't be so bad would it?.I don't remember whose statement this was(maybe some farsighted Professor)"the trouble with the human race IS the human race" by which i think he or she meant we all want everything and we want it now and on our terms, just doesn't work, does it?