Drivers are over-levied by £18bn, say campaigners
DRIVERS are being “over-taxed” by high petrol taxes that far exceed the social costs of pollution, according to a Taxpayers’ Alliance report out today.
The campaign group used the government’s own methodology, largely based on carbon emissions, to estimate the social costs of driving at £3.5bn in 2009-10.
Over the same time period motoring taxes – fuel duty and excise duty – raised £31.5bn.
After £9.9bn in road-building is paid for, the report estimates this amounts to £18.1bn in excess taxes.
“British motorists are hit unfairly hard by motoring taxes that are far too high,” said Taxpayers’ Alliance director Matthew Sinclair.
“George Osborne should follow up his 1p cut in duty with at least the freeze for the rest of this Parliament that the public have demanded. Politicians should stop ripping-off British motorists with the highest taxes on petrol in the EU,” he added.