Responding to today’s (15 March) Budget, Silviya Barrett from
Campaign for Better Transport, said:
“We are disappointed that the Chancellor has chosen to maintain
the 5p fuel duty cut for another 12 months and continue the fuel
duty freeze for a 13th year, especially as this will
disproportionally benefit those who are already better off. If
the Government really wanted to help those who are struggling the
most with the cost-of-living crisis, and support green growth, it
should be helping to reduce the cost of public transport.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- Campaign for Better Transport’s submission to the Budget is
available on its website.
- While fuel duty has been frozen for the past 12 years, yet
over the last decade rail fares have risen by 33 per cent, and
bus and coach fares by 90 per cent.
- Since 2010, fuel duty cuts and
freezes have benefitted the top fifth of earners twice as much
as the bottom fifth: 12% of the benefits go to the poorest
firth, while 26% go to the richest.
- Low-income households are less likely to have access to a
car: 38% of households in the lowest income bracket (quintile) do
not have access to a car/van, compared to 16% in the highest
(Table NTS0703).
- Campaign for Better Transport is calling for reform of
vehicle taxation, with fuel duty and VED being replaced by a
pay-as-you-drive scheme whereby all vehicles are charged a
per-mile rate based on their emissions. A pay-as-you-drive scheme
could be in place from 2025. See Pay-as-you-drive: The
British public’s views on vehicle taxation reform for
more details.
