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Pay as you Drive

Project Host
Campaign for Better Transport
Revenue
£979,345
Charity Number
1101929
Project aims
To engage with government and the public to push for pay-as-you-drive taxation system. Pay as you drive will remove inequities in the current system, promote greater transparency, and encourage a shift towards sustainable transport. However, the issue is politically challenging.
Project description
Transport is responsible for over a quarter of UK domestic greenhouse gas emissions, of which 60% comes from cars. To achieve net zero, we need a seismic shift away from car travel and towards public transport and active travel. However, the system currently does little to incentivise change. While train travel costs have risen year-on-year with inflation, fuel duty has been frozen for 11 years in a row. A quarter of UK car journeys are less than one mile, but many who could walk (or cycle) drive because it is convenient and perceived as ‘free’. Tax for road use is unclear, largely hidden, and has several points of inequity. A pay-per-mile road tax would help address many of the above issues. It would also address the budget gap arising from the loss of fuel duty as people transition to electric vehicles. However, governments and politicians have been reluctant to pursue this due to a belief that this would be unpopular. Following our Pay as you Drive report, we are seeking funding to enable us to galvanise stakeholders and plan joint activities to bring the topic into the agenda with the next administration and push for bold, decisive and data-informed action.
Contact name
Sarah Hopewell
Phone
07828540108
Email
sarah.hopewell@bettertransport.org.uk
Website
https://bettertransport.org.uk/

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