Fuel prices should be kept permanently high as a way of forcing drivers into smaller and more fuel efficient cars, according to the government’s climate change watchdog.
The Committee for Climate Change has advised the government that a minimum price for petrol and diesel should be introduced to make sure Britain meets its targets for emissions reductions.
“We know that people buy more efficient cars if the petrol price remains consistently high,” said the committee’s chief executive David Kennedy.
In its report to parliament, the Committee said that fuel duty needed to be increased to balance out reductions in oil prices and there should be a bigger gap between the cost of tax on the most and least polluting cars, with drivers of the most fuel efficient cars also qualifying for grants.
AA president Edmund King described the committee’s plans as “unrealistic”.
“People are already moving to more fuel efficient cars so there is no need to punish them by keeping the cost of fuel excessively high," he told The Times.
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Re: 'Fuel prices should stay high'
This is actually a bit of a problem. once the electric cars zip past other cars in mpg and other areas it would be really interesting to see the situation.
Re: 'Fuel prices should stay high'
Slander.
Re: 'Fuel prices should stay high'
At least once, maybe twice a week. I have two bike racks - but it's a lot easier to chuck 2 bikes in the S-Max than to attach the detachable towbar, then fit the rack and bikes. If I have the racks on, I cant get into the boot (even though they tilt) - so ferrying the dog around is a pain.
I had a saloon - seat toledo - as a second car. Part of the reason I got rid was due to the limited boot aperture (although the boot itself was huuuuge - Spanish airport run, anyone ?).