All Forums » Environmental Issues » Should the concession on red diesel stand?
-
Is it time that we accepted that the reduced duty on red diesel is an undeserved bonus for pleasure boat users? There are no environmental grounds for this reduced duty, and boat owners are not generally paupers.
-
I have to say I agree with you, if we pay tax on our car fuel wy should we not pay tax on marine deisel?
In practice however the increased price will cause increase in costs for many commercial marine companies.They may not be able to increase charges to meet this and unfortunately many will go out of business.
I have to say that the amount of revenue the Gov. will obtain will be very small in comparison to the massive sums generated from cars and it is worth pointing out that if the Gov. were serious about the environmental issue they would have a geater effect if they taxed airline fuel, at the moment the airlines pay no duty whatsoever!
How do you like them apples!
Coiler -
Some excellent points Mr Coiler.
Staggered/ incremental increases would be the way to go. Any change for the better has a negative effect on some business or another. If anyone should benefit from a concession - some more deserving causes spring to mind. -
The addition of excise duty is not based on environmental reasons, it is really a method to tackle fuel laundering within the UK which is rampant in certain parts of the country. By removing tax free red diesel from the supply chain the government stands to cut the £800-900 million they are losing in lost revenue. On top of this saving there is the added benefit of the actual tax raised for the government.
The fuel levy itself is designed to be a method to persuade people against using cars as their main form of transport, this hasn’t really got much to do with marine activities.
However, if any of you bufty liberals are really concerned about the environment then maybe you should consider full excise duties on domestic gas, heating oil, electricity and aviation fuel.
From not on the fence.
Wogs
-
Road fuel duty is supposed to be used to build and repair roads etc. It was never conceived as an environment tax. If the cash raised on boat fuel duty was used to subsidise marinas etc and make Britain a place for European yachts to visit that would be great, but I suspect the cash would just disappear.
-
It seems strange for RYA in pursuing a green agenda tinker at the edges, rather than concentrating on structural issues such as fuel efficient hull design, clean emissions, and appropriately matching main engines with their duties. Perhaps the RYA agenda is constrained through their association with the BMF?
Hopefully, fully taxed fuel will provide an opportunity for the emergence of more environmentally friendly design compromises. -
The Green Blue have just done a report on alternative fuels for use in the marine sector, covering the pros and cons of everything rom biodiesel to fuel cells it should provide people with a place to start getting up to speed on what their options are when the derogation goes. It will be online shortly at www.thegreenblue.org.uk
S
