Road tax will double for 1.2m drivers


More than one million drivers face having their annual road tax doubled after changes introduced by Alistair Darling in the Budget, figures show.

Motorists with family cars, including models of the Renault Espace, Vauxhall Zafira and Ford Galaxy, will see their road tax rise from £210 this year to between £430 and £455 in 2010 under the plans.

Drivers of family saloons, including Ford Mondeos, face a 50 per cent rise. In total, the number of cars in the highest bands will increase more than five-fold to 1.64 million within the next two years.

The rise is largely because of an unannounced change in the rules that means an estimated 1.2 million owners of cars bought before 2006 can be taxed at the highest rate.

The Government will raise more than £1 billion from the move, which has been described as the "ultimate stealth tax".

The figures undermine claims from the Chancellor that the changes to the system of vehicle excise duty would not affect the majority of motorists.

Downing Street aides are thought to be growing increasingly alarmed at the number of losers from the car tax shake-up.

The Tories believe that the proposal will be the next to be scrapped following the climbdown over the abolition of the 10p tax rate last month.

On Wednesday night, Justine Greening, a shadow Treasury minister, said: "By 2010, 1.2 million drivers will have seen their vehicle excise duty double. Many of the worst hit may well be families who simply can't afford to change cars regularly.

"This is duplicity from the Treasury who deliberately failed to make any mention of this dramatic doubling of VED hitting so many drivers at the time of the Budget."

Under the scheme, cars will be divided into 13 groups depending on their CO2 emissions. Annual road tax will then be charged in 2009 at up to £440 for cars such as Jaguars, Range Rovers and even some people carriers emitting more than 255g of CO2 per kilometre. The most expensive tax band will cost £455 in 2010.

Cars producing less than 100g will not be taxed. However, the figures show that only 406 people will benefit from the zero-tax band.

At present, there are seven bands, with the least green vehicles paying a maximum of £400. However, the top band applies only to cars purchased after March 2006. The maximum that can be levied on cars bought before then is £210.

Over the next two years, the maximum levied on cars bought before 2006 will be lifted, pushing hundreds of thousands of vehicles into the top tax bands.

Some family cars will move up several bands and an estimated 1.2 million people will see their tax bills double.

Paul Watters, of the AA, said: "The Government presented the changes as a means of influencing people's purchasing decisions, but it turns out that they are also penalising hard-pressed families who have been running the same car for many years.''

Its just getting worse and worse isnt it.

Which section are you in at the moment Devil? And what about you Scorpio, what category are you in at the moment? If i remember rightly you have a small but rather nippy motor.

I know that i am about change cars immediately, my pride and joy is going, quick sharp like.

I dont really disagree with that bit. If people can afford such big cars just cos they have a small penis, why shouldnt they pay more?
But families who need people carriers shouldnt be penalised.

I dont know what group i'm in TT. I'll find out

Ok i went here, putting my cars details in and found the C02 emissions.

CO2 Emissions 159g/Km

6 Months Rate £79.75
12 Months Rate £145.00


So according to that report, my car is under the amount that will have car tax doubled. Regardless though, i feel i'm already paying enough as it is.

It's just not funny anymore. They are crippling the country.

Its time to act, its time the people of this country said "no more thats enough" but we wont, we will carry on paying the bills like the quiet fools that we are