- Three quarters
of drivers fear fuel duty and Insurance Premium Tax will rise
after 8 June
- A third say
motoring issues play an important role in deciding who to vote
for
- AA calls on
political parties to invest in local roads
- Drivers want
more specialist police traffic officers after years of
cuts
With just over a week until voters head to the polls, the AA has
today released its Motoring Manifesto 2017*, which calls on the
next parliament to work hard to become the ‘friend of the
driver’.
Members of the 120,000 strong AA-Populus Driver Panel ,which is
the largest dedicated motoring panel in Europe, asked the AA to
put their views forward ahead of the election.
The top policies drivers would like to see include:
- Investment in a large scale road improvement strategy
- Increase the number of specialist police traffic officers
- Commit to freeze or cut Insurance Premium Tax
- Commit to installing twice as many Emergency Refuge Areas on
Smart Motorways
Edmund King, AA president says “In 2015/16, drivers across the UK
contributed over £33 billion to the Treasury through Fuel Duty
and Vehicle Excise Duty. This was more than the total receipts
for Council Tax**.
“After contributing such a large proportion of government income,
drivers are undoubtedly asking what the next government will do
for them.
“Our Manifesto aims to shape the debate and challenge parties to
think about the needs and desires of drivers.
“This is the perfect time for politicians to become a ‘friend of
the driver’, rather than seeing drivers as a wallet on wheels.”
ends
NOTES TO EDITORS
* The Full AA Motoring Manifesto is attached. A summary of the
policies included in the Manifesto are as follows;
- Invest in a large scale road improvement strategy
- Increase the number of specialist police traffic
officers
- Commit to improve public transport, with special focus on
school children
- Commit to freeze or cut IPT to 6%
- Continue to freeze fuel duty
- Encourage drivers aged 70 or over to take a free NHS eye test
when they renew their licence
- Provide more financial incentives to drivers to purchase
greener, cleaner vehicles
- Introduce regulation of the private parking enforcement
sector
- Reintroduce road safety targets with an ambition of zero road
deaths
- Commit to installing twice as many Emergency Refuge Areas on
Smart Motorways
- Treat drivers and road investment fairly when producing their
budgets
- Promote greener vehicles without disproportionately hitting
diesel vehicles
** https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/597467/spring_budget_2017_web.pdf
