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Fuel tax increase is right, but green alternatives to driving needed
1 September 2009
Commenting on today's 2p rise in fuel duty, Friends of the Earth's transport campaigner David Powell said:
"Increasing fuel tax is the right thing to do - road transport accounts for a quarter of the UK's carbon emissions, but in the last decade the overall cost of driving in real terms has fallen.
"But the Government must explain why this increase is needed, so that people understand how their money is being spent.
"Ministers must also do much more to encourage people to leave their cars at home - this means properly funding safe, convenient and affordable public transport and vastly improved facilities for cyclists and pedestrians.
"And the Government must increase the difference between vehicle tax bands further to make it financially more attractive to choose smaller, greener cars that use less fuel."
Note to editors
1. Between 1997 and 2008 in real terms the cost of motoring declined by 13 per cent, bus and coach fares increased by 17 per cent, and average rail fares increased by 7 per cent. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090319/text/90319w0002.htm
2. Although the UK has the highest diesel prices in the EU, in July 2009 average UK unleaded petrol prices, including taxes, were only the tenth highest in the EU at 102.7 pence per litre.
http://stats.berr.gov.uk/energystats/qep511.xls
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Sep 2009
