Government considering pay-per-mile road tax via high polluting truck trial

The news that the Government is considering implementing a pay-per-mile road tax for heavy goods vehicles has led critics to believe that this is just a trial with the intention to roll it out to all motorists in the future, but this isn’t the case.

How would it work?

This new system would see tolls set up across Britain which charge drivers depending on how many miles they have driven and how high the emission level of their vehicle is in a bid to encourage people to use the roads efficiently.

In the document which has been released it states that this is not being considered with the aim of charging HGV drivers more money, but to encourage companies to think about how they are using the roads and to drive more economically with the hope that this will help to ease congestion.

In addition to this, it is also being seen as a fair way to charge both British and foreign HGVs as currently British drivers have been complaining about how foreign lorries are filled up for cheaper prices abroad and don’t contribute any money towards the maintenance of our roads despite driving many miles on them. This new system would mean that all HGVs are being charged the same depending on how economical their vehicle is and how many miles they are travelling.

This is because at the moment money is made from fuel duty which sees people paying 57.95p per litre of petrol or diesel, but if vehicles are being filled up elsewhere the Treasury is not getting this money from them which is why they are considering revising the current levy and trying something new instead.

The impact on vehicles

With the recent rise in the purchase of electric and hybrid cars, and a 31% decline in sales of diesel cars, it is unsurprising that the Government are looking for new ways to make money out of drivers which can be used to maintain the roads, as it will only be a matter of time before most people aren’t purchasing fuel at all so the £27.5 billion made from this per year is going to be significantly reduced.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan also backs a tax which hits those who are travelling in cars which emit high emissions, use the roads during the busiest times, and taking longer journeys as he would like to see less congestion on the roads as this will lead to cleaner air, especially in our larger cities. This is due to him wanting people to see driving as their last resort behind using public transport, walking, or cycling.

It is suggested that this system would be put in place using GPS style tracking satellites and automatic number plate recognition which would track mileage, and the emissions level of the vehicle being driven would also be taken into consideration with those that are less economical being charged more.

Implementing the system

So could HGVs be subjected to this new system simply to test it out for all road users? The Government insist that this is not the case and that this is being done because HGVs cause more wear and tear to the roads and release more emissions. However, with fuel duty predicted to decrease it does seem likely that a new way of raising money for road repairs, which cost approximately £120 million per year, would need to be found.

HGVs are already charged more to use the toll roads that are currently in place, paying £11 to use the M6 toll rather than the £5.90 that is costs a car for example, so this is not a new concept, but it could be that if a new levy which is brought in for them is successful that the Government wouldn’t look to roll it out to all road users.

What do you think about this new system being brought into place? Do you think it could be the future of paying road tax? Let us know in the comments below.

Hospital parking earns record £175m in fees despite crackdown

Despite a crackdown by the government, hospitals made a massive £175m in parking charges in 2017, a new record for a twelve-month period. They also made nearly another £1 million from parking fines, an increase of 30% on the previous figure, though some sources believe this number is nearer £4 million. Worst of all is that over 50% of them still charge disabled patients to park in the car parks.

Making money

According to a Freedom of Information request by This Is Money, the highest charges in the country are in Guildford at the Royal Surrey County Hospital. The hospital charges £4 an hour for people to park. Another 14 hospitals around the country charge at least £3 an hour including Northampton General at £3.20 and Southend University Hospital at £3.10.

Previously, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt had admitted that the fees were ‘unfair’ and three years ago introduced guidelines that urged NHS trusts to offer free or reduced parking for the disabled, cancer patients, relatives and staff. However, the instructions weren’t legally binding and were ignored by many trusts who wanted the vital source of income from parking fees.
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Hospital parking earns record £175m in fees despite crackdown
© Copyright Jonathan Hutchins and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Tax on sickness

According to Lib Dem Health Spokesman Norman Lamb, the hospital parking charges amount to a tax on illness, people who are chronically ill or disabled being the ones who must pay the most. This shows the hidden cost of healthcare for many people around the country, said Mr. Lamb.

Labour Health Spokesman Jonathan Ashworth added that hospital parking was ‘entirely unfair’ and an unnecessary burden that affected the most vulnerable people in society who needed to use hospital services frequently.

Even Jeremy Hunt admitted that the outrageous practice was a ‘stealth tax’ but the under funding of hospitals meant that trusts were left trying to make money from patients to compensate.

Top Earners

The five most expensive hospital car parks in the country made an impressive amount of money from their charges. The Royal Surrey County Hospital, top of the list regarding the hourly cost, secured over £1.5 million last year while Northampton General, charging a little less, made more at £1.67 million.

Southend University Hospital made just over £1.8 million and Royal Free Hospital in North London over £2 million, charging £3 an hour. Another big earner was the Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool charging £3 an hour making a staggering £2.67 million.

Enviable rise in income

Figures from 111 of the 150 hospital trusts around England showed that they made £174.5 million in parking charges in the 2016-17 period, an increase of 6% on the same period the year before. Of these trusts, 56 said disabled patients were charged for some or all their designated spaces.

The Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust made the most money during the period, over £4.8 million. In fact, two-thirds of trusts had made more than £1 million for each of the last three years. Car parking in Scotland and Wales are mostly free.

Paying the price

One example is a woman who donated her kidney to her sister through The Heart of England trust. It costs her family £30 a day to visit her sister who has been on dialysis for two years and sometimes, they cannot afford to visit her due to the parking costs. Another example is patients visiting for 10-minute appointments who end up paying for two hours on a regular basis.

A spokesman from the Heart of England said that the trust does profit from car parking charges but uses the money made to fund utility costs, security and a parking management service as well as for the upkeep of the car park itself. Other hospitals have a similar justification for the charges in place.

The Department of Health continues to insist that trusts alone are responsible for what they charge and what they do with the money.

What do you think of local health authorities literally “cashing in” on the sick and old who have no choice to park there? Are the Government doing enough and if not what action do you think can be taken? Let us know in the comments below.

Demonisation of diesel leads to first rise in CO2 for 14 years

Figures obtained from the Department of Transport by selling site Buyacar.co.uk show the average new car sold in 2017 emits more toxic CO2 than new cars sold in 2016, which is the first time in 14 years that an average new car emits more CO2 than older cars. As more and more drivers desert diesel cars discouraged by tax rises, toxicity charges, parking surcharges and crashing car values, the unintended consequence is that CO2 greenhouse gas emissions are back on the rise again.

‘Unintended consequences’

The law of unintended consequences, often cited but rarely defined, is where the actions of people and especially Governments, always have effects that are unanticipated or unintended.

In 2008 under the Labour government led by Gordon Brown, they made an announcement in the Budget which they thought was good for the environment, which was to discourage people from driving petrol vehicles due to harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) they emitted and instead create a car tax system based on carbon dioxide emitted to encourage people to buy “lower polluting” diesel cars instead. In response, sales of new diesel cars and the British motoring industry itself boomed off the back of the decision.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

(Credit – Zappys Technology Solutions)

Demonisation of diesel begins

By 2016 with a Conservative government in power, it became apparent that levels of toxic nitrogen oxide (NOx) had increased in major towns and cities, contributing to 40,000 deaths a year. The Government was not meeting its own NOx emissions targets set by the European Union, leading to the threat of fines and court action. Diesel cars were pinpointed as the main culprit for these rises and it was then that the process of demonisation of diesel in all forms began in earnest, led by environmental pressure groups and the new Mayor of London.

Fast forward to the end of 2017 and diesel car sales have plummeted by 16% year on year. All the major manufacturers are running diesel scrappage schemes where you can trade in a diesel car bought in the last 8 years and receive up to £8,000 towards buying a new car. In 2017 the average value of a used diesel car fell by 26%, for many the choice of switching away from diesel cars seemed like a no brainer, but it wasn’t.

What the Government wanted people to do was buy new hybrid engine or fully electric cars en masse. The problem here is they’re too expensive to buy or run and there is no used car market for hybrid or electric cars. Battery technology moves so rapidly that the battery in a two-year-old electric car is inferior to a new battery powered car, so they don’t hold their residual value for it to be worth buying an older hybrid or EV car.

The new unintended consequence here is that while people are moving away from diesel cars as the Government wanted, they’re not buying lower emissions vehicles, instead they’re buying high polluting, big engine petrol SUVs, which is leading to an unprecedented rise in CO2 emissions. Further bad news is that the Government also have a CO2 emissions target they need to meet by the European Union as well.

Official CO2 figures show a rise in 2017

Official statistics for the first ten months of 2017 from the Department of Transport show that the average new car sold this year produces 121.1g of CO2 per kilometre. The average CO2 output of new vehicles sold in 2016 was 120.3g/km. With diesel registrations widely expected to stall further in December, it will spell the end of a 14-year reduction in CO2 emissions, which have declined by 4.02g/km annually since records first began.

How on earth did we get in this mess?

The greatest irony in all of this is that the most likely solution in reducing both NOx and CO2 to meet European standards over the next few years is buy a new super low diesel emission car. One would have hoped that the market would have naturally gravitated towards buying a new lower emitting diesel, instead demonisation has made them buy high polluting petrol SUVs.

As is often the case, the Government has intervened and targeted the wrong area and not tackled the real problem, which is diesel cars over 10 years old, public transport vehicles, the van and haulage industry, diesel trains, ships and the illegal removal of diesel particulate filters.

What do you think of this latest development? Are you a diesel driver who feels vindicated by this, or are have you just bought a petrol driven SUV without realising this is as bad as a diesel car? Or are you an electric car driver feeling all smug about driving a car with no emissions that you won’t be able to re-sell? Let us know in the comments below.

How to reduce air pollution by two thirds almost overnight

A new study by Kwik Fit has shown that if we want to reduce air pollution by two thirds almost overnight, the aim should be to remove all diesel vehicles from the road that are over ten years in age.  Their study shows that there are 3.5 million diesel cars on the road registered before 2007, and if they were replaced with the new Euro6 diesel engine, NOx emissions would fall by nearly 70%.

Age-related problems

Kwik Fit looked at the number of older vehicles on the road and the study proves that the replacement of older diesels would cut emissions of nitrous oxide by 68%.  It would also save motorists some £1 billion a year.  The study followed the government’s crackdown on diesel cars, with an increase in the first-year tax for any new diesel cars bought from April onwards.

This move was criticised by experts because newer diesel cars are much less polluting than older models already on the road.  The move could also discourage drivers of older vehicles from replacing them with newer models.

Government crackdown

The government crackdown on diesel shows no sign of slowing and has drawn criticism from many different sources.  The budget increase, for example, moving cars up a tax band based on emissions – without any real-world emission tests having been carried out on them.  Kwik Fit’s study shows that the move could affect more than health and finances.

The study shows that if the current Euro6 standard diesel engine were to replace older vehicles, harmful emissions would be cut significantly.  It would also save motorists a lot of money in fuel.  Older cars currently travel around 30 billion miles a year, emitting some 12.1 million kilograms of NOx and using 66 million gallons of fuel.

Fuel savings

If drivers were to switch to newer models, not only would the emissions be cut by two thirds, reducing the risk of pollution-related conditions and deaths, but it would also be kind on the pocket.  Newer diesel cars are more fuel efficient and consume 488.8 million gallons to cover the same mileage, saving drivers some £947 million a year.

It would even reduce factors such as the volume of tankers on the road as drivers will need to fill up less often.  It would further reduce costs and pollution.  The move could see some 20,000 fewer loads of diesel requiring delivery around the UK.

Electric growth

The much-criticised move to penalise new diesel cars may be putting drivers off from replacing their older diesel models, but it has a potential upside – the continued increase in sales of electric vehicles.  In fact, according to data from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit shows that sales of electric cars will overtake diesel cars in as little as two years’ time.

Diesel car sales dropped by a third in October compared to the previous year, the 7th decline in a row.  It was also the most significant drop in diesel sales for nine years.  At the same time, the sales of electric and hybrid cars have risen by 37%.

The study went on to say that they believe the tipping point for diesel versus electric sales will be mid-2019 when the electric sales will move above diesel for the first time.

Scrappage schemes

Many car manufacturers have introduced scrappage schemes to help persuade older diesel owners to swap to a newer vehicle and make the cost less prohibitive.  These programmes include both diesel and petrol schemes and will see significant discounts up to £8000 on more modern vehicles.  But so far, this seems to have had little impact on new diesel car sales.

The cost of replacing all diesel cars over the age of ten is said to cost over £97 billion, based on the average new car price of £28,000.  So, the government would need to provide drivers with significant help towards this cost if they are serious about replacing these vehicles.

What do you think about the Kwik Fit study and whether it’s a viable way to tackle road pollution? Do you think the Government would support a scrappage scheme focused on old diesel cars of this scale? Are 10 year old diesel cars the real culprits behind most pollution? Let us know in the comments below.

12 days of Christmas offers – Part Two

Christmas is just around the corner. If you haven’t already done so, it’s definitely time to start finalising those gift decisions before the big day arrives.

Women reportedly spend nearly 13.5 hours searching for the perfect present for their other half in the run up to Christmas according to a Littlewoods survey. However, men spend just four hours finding a gift in return.

With so much fun to be had in the lead-up to Christmas, PetrolPrices wants to save you some time by sharing these great motorist gift ideas, which are ideal for the driver in your life.

  1. 6. Car Key Tracker – RRP: £18.99

The perfect gift for the friend or family member who is always losing things, the Car Key Tracker is a multifunctional smart tool that alerts the owner when valuable things, such as car keys, have been lost.

This handy device can be linked to a smartphone, tablet or laptop. It will send push notifications to help you to locate the missing item. As it is only as thick as two credit cards, this device easily fits into wallets, purses and bags without taking up any space. It boasts steel casing, which makes it very durable.

Buy now

    1. 5. SuperTooth Hands Free – RRP: £28.00

    This fantastic bluetooth device gives the user 20 hours of talk time and 1,000 hours of standby time, meaning that phone conversations can be held more safely while they are driving.

    Easy to install in the car thanks to a metal clip, this hands free device has a sleek and stylish design. Conveniently, it will automatically connect to bluetooth devices once the standard pairing process has been initiated. Two mobile phones can be connected at the same time, which is ideal for the friend or relative who has both a personal and a work mobile. The sound quality is excellent, so clear conversations can be had at all times.

    Buy now

      1. 4. Tyre Inflator – RRP: £29.97

      A very handy gift for the practical person in your life, this tyre inflator can be set to pump tyres up to the correct pressure. You simply charge it using the 12V outlet or cigarette lighter in your vehicle.

      Able to inflate a flat tyre to 30 Psi in under three minutes, this particular device is compact and comes with a storage case so that you can keep it in the car at all times. Having the correct tyre pressure helps with fuel economy, increases the life of your tyres, and ensures that the car is safe to drive, so this great gadget comes with plenty of benefits for the lucky recipient.

      Buy now

        1. 3. Car Jump Starter and Power Bank – RRP: £49.99

        Give the gift of peace of mind this Christmas with a Car Jump Starter and Power Bank. This will certainly come in useful if the recipient experiences an issue with starting their car.

        With six great functions, including being a compact jump starter, emergency device charger with dual USB outputs, LED flashlight and compass this device is a must-have whilst out and about!

        Buy now

          1. 2. Active Car Speaker – RRP: £109.90

          Designed to get the best out of the bass, these Active Car Speakers look just as great as they sound and are ideal for anyone who loves their music loud.

          Featuring MDF construction, an integrated monoblock bass amplifier, and a horn-shaped centre section, this subwoofer also has a secret channel to hide wires, plus hardwearing tight weave acoustic carpet trim to keep it both looking and sounding amazing.

          Buy now

            1. 1. Electronic Tyre Pressure Monitor – RRP: £59.99

            Another Christmas gift designed to offer peace of mind to the recipient, this Electronic Tyre Pressure Monitor will display the real-time pressure of each tyre onto a wide-angle LCD screen. You can read this from any angle, no matter if it’s day or night.

            The driver will be alerted if tyre pressures fall too low, a leak is detected, or the tyre temperature causes concern. This will help them to ensure that they are driving safely and assist them in avoiding any potential dangers related to incorrect tyre pressures.

            Buy now

            1. Have you sourced the perfect gift for the driver in your family yet? Is it one of the above, or do you have something else in mind? We’d love to know the details, so please feel free to leave a comment below. 

12 days of Christmas offers – part one

Around 27% of Brits start their Christmas shopping three months before the big day, while 48% start just one month before. This leaves a lot of shoppers scrabbling to find the perfect present during December.

Christmas is a pricey time of year for everyone. The cost of food, drink, socialising, and other festive fun comes in at an average of £645 per person each year, with gifts being one of the biggest expenses during the lead-up to Christmas Day.

The average individual buys approximately 14 presents and spends around £117 on their partner, £145 on children, around £30 on their nan and best friend, and even £20 on their pet!

Now, we may not have anything suitable for your pet in our 12 Days of Christmas Offers promotion, but we have some great ideas for the humans in your life that you still need to buy for. Part one of our countdown includes some fantastic gifts for those who love to drive.

These gifts have the top-ratings on Amazon.

  1. 12. Motoring cufflinks – RRP: £34.99

This set contains three pairs of shirt cufflinks in fun motoring designs, including gear stick knobs, a fuel gauge and speedometer, and steering wheels. The cufflinks are made from alloy, have fantastic detail, and come presented in an Onyx Art – London box which makes them perfect for giving as a gift.

Each cufflink has a t-bar fastening and knurled barrel design. These cufflinks will look great whether worn in the office or on a night out.

Buy now

  1. 11. Heated car seat covers – RRP: £28.45

Give the gift of warmth this Christmas with a set of two heated car seat covers. These simply plug into a car’s cigarette lighter socket and heat up when sat on. Boasting two temperature settings, these heated car seat covers will switch off when the desired temperature has been reached. Ideal for the colder months of the year.

Created with elasticated straps to hold them in place, comfortable padding and a soft nylon covering, these seat covers will fit any front car seats and are sure to add a touch of luxury to the recipient’s journeys.

Buy now

  1. 10. Perfect car polish collection – RRP: £63.00

Perfect for that person in your life who adores keeping their car looking pristine, or perhaps a hint to the person who maybe doesn’t care for their car in the way that they should, this Perfect Car Polish Collection has everything required to make a car sparkle inside and out.

This high-quality car cleaning kit includes:

  • • Bodywork Shampoo (325ml)
  • • Super Resin Polish (325ml)
  • • Extra Gloss Protection (325ml)
  • • Clean Wheels (500ml)
  • • Instant Tyre Dressing (500ml)
  • • Alloy Wheel Seal (450ml)
  • • Interior Shampoo (500ml)
  • • Car Glass Polish (325ml)
  • • Vinyl and Rubber Care (500ml)
  • • One sponge
  • • Hi-Tech Finishing Cloth
  • • Aqua Dry Cloth

Everything that is needed to clean a car until it looks like it just left the showroom.

Buy now

  1. 9. Personalised road sign wall art – RRP: £27.00

Not all motoring gifts need to be practical – they can be personal too. This lovely Personalised Contemporary Road Sign is a perfect example. You can choose which locations are included on the road sign and make it completely personal for the person that you are buying for.

Plus, because it is printed on rigid plastic Foamex, the sign can be displayed either indoors or outside.

Buy now

 

  1. 8. GTForce roadster racing chair – RRP:
    £149.99

Ideal for those who love their car gaming, this racing office and gaming chair not only looks great but has also been built with comfort in mind using high quality materials, including faux leather, mesh trimmings and caster wheels.

Anyone who sits in this chair will automatically feel like they are driving around a race track, which is sure to add some joy to the working day.

Buy now

  1. 7. Carlock anti theft device – RRP: £99.00

This fantastic piece of tech is perfect for anyone who worries about how secure their car is at night, as it will monitor the vehicle and alert the owner if it is moved or the engine is started. It can also be used to track erratic driving, check on your car’s health, and monitor where your car has been – all for a very affordable price!

Buy now

All product RRPs were accurate at time of writing this article, prices are subject to sale/discounts and also price increases as per retailer discretion.

PetrolPrices will be presenting a further six Christmas motoring gifts next week, so look out for the next batch of festive driving ideas!

What will you be buying for the motorist of the family this year? Leave a comment to share your driving gift ideas.