Your Comments

I quote part of the number 1 post....

"Sounds like good news. The number of cars on the road increases steadily every month, poving that income can easily match the increasing cost of motoring."

Amanda, you obviously have plenty of money - you don't sound like you have to scrimp and save in order to have the money for petrol to and from work, like many of us. You say it sounds as if everyone gains?? Could you please tell me how I am going to gain from having to pay MORE money, that I can ill afford, in order to get to work - I'm not even talking leisure trips here, because they have now dwindled to practically nothing.

I took the step, last year, of switching from a 2litre car down to a 989cc tiny little thing. I still find I'm paying loads for petrol because the prices just keep going up and up.

What the hell else is this government going to impose on us?

I, for one, am so sick of it that as soon as i no longer have any family comittments, I'm thinking of moving abroad. If this government stopped throwing money at downright stupid causes, and got a grip on their immigration policy, they would find that they would generate vastly more money without having to rip the British public off yet again.

If the public only knew the mindblowing amounts of money that are wasted by this government in the immigration sector, and on immigrants awaiting deportation in detention centres across the UK (they are better than some hotels, and of course, are free for those staying there - paid for out of.....yes - you guessed it....OUR taxes, from OUR HARD EARNED MONEY) I think Mr Joe Public would be even more willing to protest against yet another RIP OFF!!!

When one is in a position such as Gordon or any other of the Government ministers, one is supplied with a car, helicopter if required, driver, fuel, houses, large redundancy if voted out, large inflation proof pension, so why should he worry about the large majority of the population who have to suffer his (or indeed Alastair, Darling!'s) hyke in fuel taxes?

This does not solely effect motorists. Those of us who live in areas without a gas supply, rely on oil (and wood) for our heat. This government takes a stick without carrot approach. We urgently need cheaper and more sustainable alternatives to oil both for domestic and travelling purposes.

If the government focussed more on providing us with a proper, affordable, reliable and integrated public transport system, that would go a long way to our being able to reduce our consumption. As would a serious policy to increase sustainable travel and heating. Raising prices without these measures in place seems both punitive and a cheap way to increase revenue. Sue

So, Herr Brown is no longer the chancellor, but his ideas go on and on. I would not trust him to look after an empty paper bag let alone the country. Use public transport - we are still waiting for the marvellous improvements to that. Still he and Dear Old Darling are fully aware we, the motorist has to pay. Mr Richard Turpin had the decency to wear a mask, and I will scream if he so much as hints it is being done for 'global warming' 'health risks' etc it is simply more money to the coffers, doubtless to go to support the likes of Mugabe

Once again the motorists are being shafted. It is time once again to make a stand create roadblocks bring the country to a standstill if we do not act now the goverment will just keep increasing the duty. Maybe if they did not give away stupid money like payin g for tablets for people to stop smoking, preganat woman being given money for the right food, Self abusers being given methadone on aregular basis , limit the number of immigrants comong into the country , to name just a few

> Why can the French sell their fuel at such a substantial amount lower then us?

They don't. I've just come back from a driving holiday in France so I'm familiar with current French prices. It's not uncommon to see petrol for EUR 1-40 which is 97.8p (xe.com). My uncle (who lives in France) reckoned the best prices were around EUR 1-21 (85p), but we didn't see it that low anywhere.

a bridge too far....

time for a change the motorist gets it in the neck everytime the cost of running a car is unbelieveable dont vote labour

Remember John Prescott's "integrated transport system" back in the 1990s? What has happened to it; I haven't noticed any change, but JP is long gone with his big car, big salary, big ........

my wife and i being pensioners on fixed incomes, both of us rely on car transport, this affects us in more ways than petrol. all transport charges will go up,cost of food etc. utilities all use some form of oil,thus pushing the price of all heating costs up to the general household

Might be ok if they removed the road fund tax!!

Not another rise on fuel what are they trying to do to us? put us off the road always hitting the working man/woman
Kate

Funny that it is only UK that keeps the fuel prices rising.
What did that man Blair say well if you want new hospitals.
Result high fuel costs and no Hospitals
typical

Like many other self employed people I have to use a vehicle for work. Every increase in fuel duty/VAT means I make that bit less. I have seen a significant downturn in my profit after taking fuel costs into account, more than any other single factor. Keep on like this and I'll be out of business.

"if companies like Tesco can offer 5p off a litre if you spend £50 instore it shows there is room for the price to come down"

..... because the profit they make from you buying groceries from them cross-subsidises the cost of the petrol. So you're not buying at the "real" price.

This Government is mainly formed of a large group of jumped-up and overpaid opportunists. Tha biggest example to date must be of course John Prescott. The country's tax system, including the fuel tax, is regarded as a joke in the serious EU countries. In particular the pricing of Diesel fuel versus Unleaded at the pumps is way out of the realms of reason in a 'civilised'nation. The sooner these hypocritical clowns come to their senses the better, but sadly I do not think it will happen... which is why I am going to leave the country I have worked in and paid silly taxes to for so long.

My husband 72yrs and myself 70yrs worked all our lives from 15yrs old and when we finally retired expected to be able to go out on day trips, we only managed to buy a car when he was 60 so we could go out on day trips and
holidays in Britain
With so many increases in petrol the prices are well beyond a joke, as a dissabled person I rely on my husband to get me about and we are going out less and less as we cannot afford the petrol.
Its time we had a break what with no vote in the EU farce and all the increases in food lets see some being done we are ready for a strike.
My daughter and family are moving to Australia and I am losing my grandchildren. They have had enough. Kym Hill Leicester

Get this government out, Who voted them in in the first place anyway? but untill then I agree we should bring this country to a holt by blocking the roads again only then will they listen.

I was in Michigan USA last september and payed $1.20 per us gallon (a us gallon is about 7 pints) and they complained at the price, try living in "RIP OFF BRITAIN"

For the last 40 years I have driven around 50,000 miles a year on business, a total of two million miles. As a self employed businessman I have watched as prices have spiralled upwards, and service to the motorist has decreased exponentially. Along with cynically placed speed cameras to drum up more revenue, (and make potential criminals of high mileage drivers),congestion charges, tolls and huge traffic jams I have decided this is the last straw. We already pay more tax on our fuel than any other nation in Europe, America and most of the free world. Yes, I know that my fuel costs are tax deductible, but only for business mileage, and one has to earn the money first, before costs can be deducted. So I am retiring at 63, which means that this one individual will not be paying any more income tax, fuel tax or lots of other stealth taxes this Government continues to heap upon us. I will visit friends in America, where "gas", is around 45 pence per litre, My family in France, where diesel is little more than half the UK price and spend a lot more time with my grandchildren. I may be fortunate to be able to make this decision, but I am in the group which probobly spends more individually on fuel and fuel related taxes than any one else,and there a lot of us. Mr Darling, it's not rocket science to see what a counter productive move this is.
They say fuel is a distress purchase; we only buy it when we have to. Well, if you are distressed about this, add your name to the vote to have this increase cancelled, and let your MP and Mr Darling know the strength of your feelings. Just a thought; I wonder if this projected increase would cover the cost of the guarantee the Government have just given, to bail out the Banks if they get into difficulties.
Finally, I am not anti Labour; I voted them in, but the way they are behaving I will not vote for them again. Why do'nt you let the Government know that too.
Regards from the hard shoulder,
Mike Litchfield

To expand on some of the comments made here, firstly the reason that American fuel prices are so cheap is not because we are ripped off, it's because there is very little taxation on fuel in the States, this is because the US government does not raise sufficient income from taxation to pay for the services it provides. To the person who complained that his neighbour had a "gas guzzling" Panda 4x4, its combined economy figure is 42.8mpg which while admittedly not sipping the juice, is better than my VW Touran manages.

Personally I think another fuel increase is going to be the last straw for many people in Britain, what annoys me is the way that the solution is always stick, rather than carrot, if the government want us to use public transport more often why don't they make it cheaper-or renationalise it, pay for it from general taxation and make it free, then hardly anyone would have a genuine excuse to use their cars-MP's included.

The high tax on fuel is only to pay for the billions that is spent on Iraq and Afganistan along with the billions laid out for immigration housing and benefits.
My pal has just returned from Canada and the US where fuel is approx 65pence and 35pence per litre respectively and they think that is too high. Blimey!!!
We are getting screwed by this government and it is time for it to stop. If anyone wants to start the revolution now let me know where to come. Being serious though, it is about time for another blockade with the truckers, you have my full support.

I'm sick of the Government squeezing every penny out of us motorists, they really do take the p*ss....

I've just come back from the USA and I am amazed at how much cheaper EVERYTHING is from cars to fuel to food. I have enough American friends to know that my holiday eye view is not a blinkered one. The standard of living in America is no poorer than here in the UK so why do we have such ridiculous taxers and prices. Public services are much the same and I find cities much cleaner overall. In the USA I was paying artound $2.20 a gallon; a US gallon is smaller than an imperial equivalent but it work out to around $3.33 per gallon or £1.72 a gallon in sterling. If this government was really concerned about the environment it would start a scrapping system; scrap all cars 15 years and older, next year 14 year then 13 and so on. When we get down to a point where no car is older than 5 years we will have good energy efficient vehicles, a lot less of them on the roads and a lot less obese people. I speak as one of the people who would be affected by this move. Government please tackle green issues properly and not by sly deceitfull underhand taxes. Also start making foreign visitors pay road tax during their visit, other European countries such as Germany do it very succesfully and Im sure it would be agreat money spinner from lorries alone.

GORDON GORDON GORDON - Gordon, be a Prime Minister who listens to his contsituents.

Stop people coming into this Country for a bit. They help themselves to our taxes which we worked hard for so we coud help THE GOVERNMENT to help US, this is just watering down monetary resources and does nothng to and help us Brits live our lives without being screwed at every turn. Its hardly fair.

Public Transport, when available, is as expensive as running a car when we have to work further away from home for better pay, to pay the bills that are getting bigger because wage rises don't reflect inflation but MPs make sure they get a decent pay rise.

Lead by example and go to schools and work on a bike with your kids on a bike seat. Maybe you should invest on cheaper ways to run a car rather than hiding behind your "Green Umberella".

Meh, what's the point in typing all this, you won't listen wil you Gordon?? Didn't think so.

Totally out of order its all tax tax tax he want a bite of the cherry but always comes back for more.

Do people forget that every penny added to fuel goes on EVERYTHING? If you buy toilet roll, it has to get to the shops and that usually involves road transport = fuel. The cost of having a basic standard of living is already too high, pensioners and other vulnerable members of society can't afford their fuel bills - so the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Stop taxing people for trying to survive!!!!!! Euthanasia is illegal, yet we can quite happily make sure people haven't got enough money to live on and let them starve to death or die of hypothermia.

Can anybody here remember when your car used to take £20 to fill the tank? I can, and I'm not that old!!! It really is bad when you consider having fuel in your car to go shopping as a luxury.

this increase is not justified in Scotland as we produce most of the oil for the U.K.

Amanda Lightfoot you are an idiot. Probably a monied up toff with a 4X4 who doesn't give a stuff about cash, but doesn't stop to think that the rest of us struggle to run vehicles but we might actualy need them for genuine reasons like get to work. And don't give me this rubbish about using public transport - how are tradesmen surposed to do that ?

I work as a Sales Manager and believe a company car (already heavily taxed as a benefit in kind ) is a necessary tool to do my job. Just as a bricklayer requires a trowel to do his job I require a car to do mine. This proposed increase in fuel tax is adding insult to injury.

It's all very well trying to reduce the amount of cars on our roads - maybe by increasing fuel costs but those of us wholive in rural areas are not always able to use public transport at times convenient to our schedules etc.

If the govenment want people to use public transport it should be alot more efficient and cheap. If you have a car your paying for it already so its silly to pay to use public transport. After walking for 10 mins to the bus stop i commonly have to wait up to 50 mins for a bus to stop as most of them go past me full. Also if we decide to go home for the weekend, the two of us, it is up to 10 times cheaper to drive as we have a car then spend traveling to the train station, then spend on the train, then spend on phone bills calling people to say we'd be late then spend again to get to our final destination, let alone trying to transport clothes and other items on the stupidly overpriced overcrowded trains.

As soon as the increase in fuel duty was announced earlier this year I decided to change my car for a hybrid. My father also did the same, and we both now drive Toyota Prius cars.
The RFL is only £15 and my fuel consumption is well over 60mpg - it's also enviromentally friendly - I now put two finger up to the Government and the petrol stations.
This Government gives no incentives whatever to get people into cars like this, unlike in the US where they are given tax breaks.
Next year we will see more increases in RFL and fuel duty, yet we sit back and do nothing about it.
I hope we do have blockades again and soon, then perhaps everyone will think about their voting paper when the next election is announced, and this time vote these overpayed leeches out of office.

How much cash do they need to Not maintain the roads!! Tax on fuel, road Tax, tax on parts, tax on servicing, speeding fines to supposedly improve road safety. I would not object to any of these if there were no pot holes. If we had a decent road system and our public transport system was efficient. Having none of these and then being expected to pay for them on top is however in my mind a disgrace

I wouldn't mind paying the tax if it was spent where it was needed ie:- maintenance and improving our roads, or even more important things.
But as we all know, it will be wasted and frittered away like most of the other taxes we pay.
Another vote loser as far as I'm concerned

post # 216

I'd love to change my car for a hybrid, I can't afford to though :-(

I've already paid a higher RF licence fee this year. I don't see why I should have to pay yet more to support Mr Darling's profligate habits. This government is taking more and more of my income in tax: when am I going to see the payback?