07/24/2009: "motorist taxes - the latest insult!"

one thing that bites my biscuit more than most is the extortionate rip off of charges and taxes dumped on the motorist.
there is simply no need for it and every single driver is being penalised to pay for everything else BUT transport.
the UK public are lied to, deceived, ripped off and in every other walk of life, if the same approach was taken, we would be able to prosecute the government/business for doing it.

the latest "report" is out today, from the MPs transport committee Read the news report on it here

"Motoring taxes have been handled so badly that drivers no longer trust what ministers say the charges pay for, an MPs' report says"
this is because motoring taxes in all forms ARE NOT being used for what ministers say they are!
i can prove it - this is how greg pope (Labour MP for hyndburn) replied in answer to questions from myself regarding motorist taxation.

in 2007, the government raised more than Ł47 BILLION pounds in motorist taxation - yet only spent just over Ł8 BILLION on transport projects - where has the other Ł39 BILLION gone?
Greg Pope replied, telling me that i was "advocating the closure of schools and hospitals and a reduction in services in the NHS!"

i replied, in no uncertain terms, stating that it was disgraceful to lie like this in reply to a legitimate question for information!
he replied, not to answer the question, but to tell me he "was a very busy man and didnt have time to debate this issue with me!"

"The government said billions had been spent on public transport and it was committed to improving travel options"
improving travel options?
thats why public transport charges have more than trebled is it?
thats why the public are being stung for simply picking people up from airports?
is this why we all have to pay hidden charges for using an aeroplane to go on holiday?
perhaps this is why bus stops no longer allow buses to pull in, they now just stop in the road holding up traffic even longer?
improving travel options? dont make me laugh!

drivers needed "clearer signals" about how their taxes were being spent to reduce congestion and pollution.
congestion and pollution are increasing BECAUSE of government policies.
How many times have you been on your way to work and been sat in a traffic jam because of new traffic lights or traffic calming measures?
how many times have you been delayed because a new roundabout has been put in place where it used to be a straight road?
how many more dual carraigeways have their speed limits reduced to 50 or 30mph to accomodate a new development entrance?

we dont need clearer signals the public need those in power to stop lying to us!

The report said: "Fuel duty has been presented, at different times, as a tool to reduce carbon emissions, a source of general revenue, and a means to fund transport investment.
"We are concerned that motorists are mistrustful of the government regarding taxes."
revenue is being raised, and the facts show that less than a quarter of that money is being spent on what it is being taken for.
this doesnt show a "public mistrust" - it shows the public are fed up to the back teeth of the blatant lies we are being told
its not even funny anymore, people are facing hard times and tightening purse strings, my car insurance should not be taxed to pay for financial mismanagement of the banking system or because the government have spent too much money on stupid schemes and reviews!

if the government impose a tax on car insurance policies, then who in their right mind believes that the car insurance company will simply cut their profits to pay it?
the insurance company will of course pass on these extra costs to their customers.
so the government gets extra tax revenue and most customers then blame the insurance companies for the price of their insurance going up - so they dont lose votes. (this can be applied to all areas of business taxation the government impose upon us all)

It also says car parking charges must be "proportional" and local authorities should not be charging excessive prices to pay for non-related services
so they admit that the motorist is already being charged for profit to spend in other areas, by local authorities... a process which is unenforceable under common law in england and wales.
banks are currently fighting an appeal, as this process has been used against their customers, via the high court, laws and legal precident are in place to stop this from happening, but as always they are not being used.
why are we being charged for non related services, and how much longer must they be able to get away with it?
no other area of life can charging be used in this way.... they are part of the government that allows this to happen, so why not use MP power and stop it?
talking about it and having a review isnt getting the UK motorist anywhere, we still have to pay them!

Although it (the committee) said it had no evidence this was happening, the public was concerned about the issue
no evidence?
ever been to a hospital to visit someone?
you are only allowed to visit for two hours, yet must pay for car parking for a minimum of 3 hours
car parking fees are being used to raise revenue for the hospital as the government has reduced their funding because they have this money coming in.... oh look another example of the government indirectly increasing taxation on the motorist!

no evidence? utter rubbish... there is evidence everywhere! are they blind?
Similarly, it (the committee) says penalty fines must not be used as a "blatant" tool to raise money from motorists and councils must spend more of the revenue raised on creating more parking spaces and improving signs
but the councils are being penalised by government funding, if they raise money anything they raise is removed from the money given to it each year by those at westminster.... oh look another example of indirect taxation by the government. council raises funds for more carparking spaces, government decides they have too much in the kitty so reduces the amount of money that they get from general taxation!

the simple answer is to only raise revenue to develop free parking to attract visitors to each town, and to keep the government's grubby taxation fingers off it!

"We are committed to implementing innovative and far-reaching measures to improve the transport options available," the department of transport said
innovative and far reaching measures?
the dept of transport are a joke!

either give the UK motorist their money back by cutting taxes immediately, or spend the more than Ł47 BILLION a year raised, on transport projects that actually benefit the british public.
anything less than either of these measures, shows that the government we have are nothing more than a bunch of crooks!