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Leeds drivers face road tax 'smash and grab'
New figures today revealed Government plans for a smash-and-grab raid on the finances of West Yorkshire's hard-pressed motorists.
Controversial proposals to increase the amount of car tax paid on 'gas-guzzling' vehicles were unveiled by Chancellor Alistair Darling earlier this year.
Now figures obtained by the YEP have shown that the owners of nearly 100,000 vehicles in West Yorkshire will end up paying more under the revised system.
That revelation will be an unwelcome blow for drivers struggling to cope with soaring petrol prices and the wider impact of the credit crunch on their bank balances. The tax changes have already been heavily criticised as they will apply retrospectively to cars bought as long as seven years ago.
And today's figures prompted renewed calls from Leeds MPs for the Chancellor to reconsider his plans.
Colin Burgon (Lab, Elmet) said: "They bear out what any straight thinking person would have concluded – this does hit a significant number of people who are not well off.
"It is wrong morally and wrong politically."
George Mudie (Lab, Leeds East) said: "The figures demonstrate that a good number of people are going to lose retrospectively and I hope the Chancellor will look at this in next month's Pre Budget Report."
Driver Wasif Mir, 28, who runs a stall at Kirkgate Market in Leeds, would be hammered to the tune of 50 a year.
He said: "People with larger cars who need them for business are really going to suffer."
Charlotte Morton, managing director of Leeds-based car club WhizzGo, said money raked in by higher taxes should be invested in improvements to sustainable transport.
Currently, anyone with a car registered before 2006 which emits more than 186g of carbon dioxide per kilometre pays 210 in vehicle excise duty.
From next year they will have to fork out between 260 and 440. And by 2010, owners of the top band of most polluting cars will pay 455.
The YEP's figures show there were 63,169 cars registered in West Yorkshire between 2001 and 2006 which emit between 186 g/km and 225 g/km.
These could include popular family cars like the Renault Clio and Citroen C8, which will next year incur between 300 and 415 in road tax.
Another 33,274 vehicles registered in the region between 2001 and 2006 emit more than 225 g/km. These could include fuel-hungry Jaguars, BMWs and Land Rovers, and will next year be charged between 415 and 440.
Together, the figures mean 96,443 vehicles in West Yorkshire will be hit by the changes.
Defending the plans, a spokesman for the Treasury said: "While more polluting vehicles will face higher charges, many drivers will pay less as a result of these reforms."
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 11 February 2012
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