Got a petrol or diesel car? Then get set to be taxed off the road
MILLIONS of drivers face being bullied into going green as the Scottish Government steps up its fight against petrol and diesel cars.
Proposals are being drawn up to impose ‘penalties and restrictions’ on motorists who do not switch to the most ultra-low emission environmentally friendly vehicles.
One option under discussion is to charge a ‘pollution tax’ for anyone driving a petrol or diesel car into towns and cities – or banning them altogether.
Motorists could also be made to surrender parking spaces to electric or hybrid vehicles. A new army
‘Incentives do not have to be focused on reward’
of green enforcers would be employed to police the scheme.
Scottish Government Ministers have vowed to force all petrol and diesel vehicles off the roads by 2050.
Last week they launched a consultation on parking rules and plan to bring forward a Transport Bill before the end of the parliament.
Meanwhile, Transport Scotland is considering a report by consultancy Urban Foresight called National Framework of Local Incentives for Electric Vehicles.
The two reports are likely to influence the new Bill.
Urban Foresight calls for ‘penalties or restrictions’ on polluting cars as well as reducing the number of parking spaces available to them. For green vehicles, it backs discounted parking, priority parking permits, the freedom to use bus lanes at all times, and low or zero emission zones, where other cars are banned.
The Scottish Government’s consultation, will run for another three months.
The National Framework report says: ‘Incentives do not have to be focused on rewarding a desired behaviour, but can also impose a penalty or withdraw some desired objects to those that do not adopt plug-in vehicles ’
Liam Kerr, Scottish Tory transport spokesman, said: ‘While encouraging greener vehicles is welcome, the Scottish Government has to realise that can’t be done by bullying other drivers. People need cars and it’s wrong to penalise them by increasing charges or prioritising other groups.’
John O’Connell, chief executive of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: ‘Motorists are a highly taxed group and our politicians often seem to forget that some people have very little choice but to drive, so the added burden can be particularly debilitating. ’
A spokesman for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities said: ‘Tackling climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing Scotland. Cosla has considered incentives for low carbon vehicles and we would support councils if they wished to implement incentive schemes locally.’
A Transport Scotland spokesman added: ‘We are determined to improve air quality and are working to ensure Scotland’s first low emission zone is in place by 2018.
‘Significantly reducing vehicle emissions will improve health, reduce pollution-related illnesses and consequently bring savings to healthcare.’