Not happy with Petrol prices
11 April 2010, 11:05 AM
#1
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Not happy with Petrol prices
Just recieved an Email from www.Petrolprices.com,
a site i use to find cheap petrol, There asking for comments to add to there
blog. The thread opened 2 days ago, just have a look now!
http://www.petrolprices.com/blog/pet...-stop-121.html
feel free to add your comments
Mart
BTW i hear that there is a page on facebook, planning a protest on the 1st May
Mart
a site i use to find cheap petrol, There asking for comments to add to there
blog. The thread opened 2 days ago, just have a look now!
http://www.petrolprices.com/blog/pet...-stop-121.html
feel free to add your comments
Mart
BTW i hear that there is a page on facebook, planning a protest on the 1st May
Mart
11 April 2010, 11:52 AM
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We can’t afford to use more public transport because it is subsidised that means the true cost is hidden! More public transport usage would mean more taxation as more subsidy required!
According to the Governments own figures last year EVERY train journey had a subsidy of £4.80 that means the car driver is paying out of his Petrol tax to keep the cost of ticket prices down on trains.
Why not remove all public transport subsidies and reduce petrol tax by the amount saved? Let Bus, Tube and Train passengers pay the true ticket price and let car drivers get nearer to paying the true cost of motoring!
According to the Governments own figures last year EVERY train journey had a subsidy of £4.80 that means the car driver is paying out of his Petrol tax to keep the cost of ticket prices down on trains.
Why not remove all public transport subsidies and reduce petrol tax by the amount saved? Let Bus, Tube and Train passengers pay the true ticket price and let car drivers get nearer to paying the true cost of motoring!
Last edited by Adrian F; 11 April 2010 at 11:59 AM.
11 April 2010, 12:17 PM
#4
Hmmm.
Did you notice the article explains why the prices are being pushed up. Due to UK's poor exchange rate and concerns of our economy - So a protest (if successful at grinding the country to a halt) will only make the above worse as it'll worsen the economy. Just like BA staff striking, full well knowing the company is suffering financial difficulty.
During the New Labour honeymoon period the fuel prices at that time were totally excessive (80p a litre); Labour failed to keep on top of existing tax policies and let them run out of control (and rather than sorting the problem, dragged its heels and went blaming the previous government for it – even though Labour themselves actually increased the rate on the tax escalator ). The tax was too much; the economy was booming, there was no need for increased tax on fuel.
Nowadays we are not booming, far from it. Tax revenue via businesses, commerce as well and employment is lower. Yet government spending has not been readdressed to compensate. Revenue via taxation needs to come from somewhere; fuel. I cannot see this tax rate being reduced as the government knows it is a good earner from every aspect of British life, because they allowed the following to happen;
By allowing businesses to become more footloose and locate in greenfield areas well away from their serving clients or any alternate transport options (i.e. rail ); necessitating the need to use a decaying road infrastructure to shift good from one end of the country to the other. Hence the the mass of hauliers congregating on the M1 and M6. The same with employees of such businesses; they want to live in a nice areas not in an urban squalor; Hence all those new build estates, and therefore travelling further and further to and from work. Same with schools when the local one is seen by parents as "substandard", they'd rather go to a better one further up the road. Then the shops; all those out of town shopping centres, the decline of the local high-street and near extinction of the general corner shop ( 'til Tesco et al realised a missed opportunity and squeezed a Tesco express wherever they could).
What a mess! By setting up a geographic model where people have to travel further for whatever they want (be it workplace, goods transport, schools, shops etc.), our reliance on private road transport has never been so great.
Its fine when the economy is doing OK. But when its not, and our exchange rate falls down the pan, imported stuff becomes pricey; and yes, we import crude for fuel. Despite having our own oil fields.
So, whilst I agree fuel is too expensive, this time round the prices are actually justifiable. Although the reasons why are weak; Labour should not be so reliant on fuel tax as an income and severely needs to review and reduce its current spending figures. And its allowed a geographic model to grow that is too reliant on private transport and has failed to provide an adequate public transport alternative that gives good access for all and value for money (buses and trains are still far to expensive when compared to other countries, and give poor service for those outside of big cities or London).
Finally the EU, via its NCAP safety standards has allowed family cars to become extremely heavy and less fuel efficient due to both weight and restrictive emissions control systems. Whilst manufacturers do well to maintain good or even improved MPG figures. The average family car now weighs over 1500kg (eg a new Astra 1.6 is 1578kg
) Whereas a car of same class ten years ago was around 1100kg. If one puts modern fuel efficiency systems into a car weighing 400kg less the MPG gains would be significant. However the fashion call for SUVs in preference to MPG, whilst this is a consumer demand concern; So long as manufacturers offer a viable fuel efficient vehicle of medium family size (Astra, Mondeo etc). Currently I feel none do as they all weigh too far much. This further disadvantages motorists by the increased fuel prices.
Protest or not? PROTEST!!
I think current pricing is justified. BUT its of the government's own doing; Not saving for a rainy day, public sector bloat, far too much spending and inefficient spending and relying too much on certain taxes for income (i.e fuel), poor control of business and housing development/building locations, poor investment and amendments in public transport . So if that puts egg on their faces before the election, then so be it 
It will damage our economy; but these fools have already put the knife in, we may as well twist it 
Did you notice the article explains why the prices are being pushed up. Due to UK's poor exchange rate and concerns of our economy - So a protest (if successful at grinding the country to a halt) will only make the above worse as it'll worsen the economy. Just like BA staff striking, full well knowing the company is suffering financial difficulty.
During the New Labour honeymoon period the fuel prices at that time were totally excessive (80p a litre); Labour failed to keep on top of existing tax policies and let them run out of control (and rather than sorting the problem, dragged its heels and went blaming the previous government for it – even though Labour themselves actually increased the rate on the tax escalator ). The tax was too much; the economy was booming, there was no need for increased tax on fuel.
Nowadays we are not booming, far from it. Tax revenue via businesses, commerce as well and employment is lower. Yet government spending has not been readdressed to compensate. Revenue via taxation needs to come from somewhere; fuel. I cannot see this tax rate being reduced as the government knows it is a good earner from every aspect of British life, because they allowed the following to happen;
By allowing businesses to become more footloose and locate in greenfield areas well away from their serving clients or any alternate transport options (i.e. rail ); necessitating the need to use a decaying road infrastructure to shift good from one end of the country to the other. Hence the the mass of hauliers congregating on the M1 and M6. The same with employees of such businesses; they want to live in a nice areas not in an urban squalor; Hence all those new build estates, and therefore travelling further and further to and from work. Same with schools when the local one is seen by parents as "substandard", they'd rather go to a better one further up the road. Then the shops; all those out of town shopping centres, the decline of the local high-street and near extinction of the general corner shop ( 'til Tesco et al realised a missed opportunity and squeezed a Tesco express wherever they could).
What a mess! By setting up a geographic model where people have to travel further for whatever they want (be it workplace, goods transport, schools, shops etc.), our reliance on private road transport has never been so great.
Its fine when the economy is doing OK. But when its not, and our exchange rate falls down the pan, imported stuff becomes pricey; and yes, we import crude for fuel. Despite having our own oil fields.
So, whilst I agree fuel is too expensive, this time round the prices are actually justifiable. Although the reasons why are weak; Labour should not be so reliant on fuel tax as an income and severely needs to review and reduce its current spending figures. And its allowed a geographic model to grow that is too reliant on private transport and has failed to provide an adequate public transport alternative that gives good access for all and value for money (buses and trains are still far to expensive when compared to other countries, and give poor service for those outside of big cities or London).
Finally the EU, via its NCAP safety standards has allowed family cars to become extremely heavy and less fuel efficient due to both weight and restrictive emissions control systems. Whilst manufacturers do well to maintain good or even improved MPG figures. The average family car now weighs over 1500kg (eg a new Astra 1.6 is 1578kg
) Whereas a car of same class ten years ago was around 1100kg. If one puts modern fuel efficiency systems into a car weighing 400kg less the MPG gains would be significant. However the fashion call for SUVs in preference to MPG, whilst this is a consumer demand concern; So long as manufacturers offer a viable fuel efficient vehicle of medium family size (Astra, Mondeo etc). Currently I feel none do as they all weigh too far much. This further disadvantages motorists by the increased fuel prices.Protest or not? PROTEST!!
I think current pricing is justified. BUT its of the government's own doing; Not saving for a rainy day, public sector bloat, far too much spending and inefficient spending and relying too much on certain taxes for income (i.e fuel), poor control of business and housing development/building locations, poor investment and amendments in public transport . So if that puts egg on their faces before the election, then so be it It will damage our economy; but these fools have already put the knife in, we may as well twist it
Last edited by ALi-B; 11 April 2010 at 12:19 PM.
12 April 2010, 09:48 AM
#6
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Still think something needs to be done. Theres been riots in Greece over the state of the economy and the measures taken to rescue it. The UK is not far behind and what do we do about it? Get all hot and sweaty whilst reading the Daily Mail. The UK is rubbish at complaining to its government.
I'm going to get my Jeep converted to LPG in the next couple of weeks - just trying to work out if I want to risk the cheap polish geezer at £1200 200 miles away or the expensive but on the doorstep local garage at £2000.
I'm going to get my Jeep converted to LPG in the next couple of weeks - just trying to work out if I want to risk the cheap polish geezer at £1200 200 miles away or the expensive but on the doorstep local garage at £2000.
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