RAC head of policy Nicholas Lyes said: “Overall, this
Budget provides something for both today’s and tomorrow’s
drivers.
“Today the Chancellor has chosen to give a boost to drivers
of today’s vehicles with a fuel duty freeze while also investing
in tomorrow with funding for rapid charging hubs for electric
vehicles, an extension to the plug-in car grant, funding to
repair Britain’s roads and a commitment to spend on our motorways
and strategic roads.
“We welcome the Chancellor’s freeze in fuel duty which will
be a relief to drivers up and down the country. While the
Chancellor might have been tempted to increase duty, the reality
is that for millions this would have simply increased their
everyday driving costs and done nothing to encourage them to
switch to cleaner vehicles. And while many want to seek
alternative transport options to using their vehicles for some
journeys, in so many parts of the country reasonable public
transport provision simply does not exist.
“We also welcome a commitment from the Chancellor to extend
the plug-in car grant until 2022-23, something we called for and
which will provide a real long-term boost for drivers who plan on
changing their vehicle in the next couple of years but find the
current upfront costs prohibitive. More expensive electric
vehicles will also not now face a higher rate of vehicle excise
duty, increasing their attractiveness to new buyers. Our research
suggests that cost is one of the biggest barriers for drivers who
want to switch to an electric vehicle and the steps taken today
provide clarity and certainty for both consumers and
manufacturers.
“Alongside this, while additional funding from the
Chancellor to fix our local roads is helpful, what has been
committed is simply not enough. The condition and maintenance of
local roads continues to be a major concern for more than a third
of drivers, with a majority believing the state of local roads
has worsened in the last year. However, £2.5bn over the course of
five years may not by adequate, particularly if the UK is hit by
extreme winter weather.
“Finally, we are pleased with the commitment from the
Chancellor to continue the investment in our strategic road
network. Congestion is a major concern for over a fifth of
drivers and it is vitally important that we continue to keep both
drivers and Britain moving.”
