Yes, while it is true that this will retrospectively affect cars up to 7 years old I’m not sure that those on the very lowest incomes in the UK are adversely affected. Up to half of that group don’t run a car at all, and what proportion of those on the lowest incomes who have a car under 7 years old have one of the cars with a VED that is increasing? If we assume it is the 4 in 9 that has been mentioned in the media, that is still a relatively small number.
Of course there are many cheaper 4x4’s than Range Rovers, Q7’s etc but a higher VED may make people think twice when they are buying a second-hand car, maybe they will choose to buy something falling into a lower band? If not then that is personal choice but they will have to live with the (small) extra cost. That may be hard on those people who already own those cars, but they too then have a choice to make.
Any freedoms that we enjoy must surely be balanced against the cost to us all; there is precious little evidence that people make any such consideration when they buy a car (or a whole load of other things!), so there must be a role for governments to try and influence and change behaviour. One of the few ways they can do this is through taxing people more!
I don’t think that is being a nanny state, it is just that someone has to consider the collective good. In this case that is reducing our CO2 emissions and making sure through multilateral agreement that other countries do the same. India and China won’t be committing to reducing CO2 if countries like ours, who have had the good times of economic growth, aren’t showing a similar or perhaps greater commitment.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t for a minute think that curbing car use will solve anything on it’s own; there are a million and one things that people and in particular businesses (not to mention Government departments!) could do to use less energy and emit less CO2. The Government’s role is to encourage them to do it.
Right, my moan over…! Is good to have a proper bit of debate about these things though!?
Cheers
David