As the 2010 General Election looms and there seems to be no clear favourite as we enter the final stages, but who's going to benefit you, the motorist, the most?
Motorists have had it tough recently: rocketing fuel prices, the end of the scrappage scheme, environment-based car tax changes and the new showroom tax have all added to the cost burden.
Road users want better, congestion-free highways. The Parliamentary Transport Select Committee (an independent body) has stated that the next government needs to upgrade 900 miles of trunk route to get Britain moving again. But who's listening?
With talk of a hung parliament and MPs scrabbling around their constituencies to canvass for last-minute votes, motorists have a real chance to vote for the party that will look after their best interests.
So, what are the national parties offering motorists?
Labour
- All electric cars will be exempt from company car tax and Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) until at least 2015
- Fuel duty will rise by 1p on 1 October, and again by 0.76p on 1 January 2011. This will continue to rise by 1p per litre above inflation until 2015
- Business users driving cars emitting between 1g/km and 75g/km CO2 will only pay benefit-in-kind tax of 5% of its value. (No cars currently emit at that level.)
- First year 'showroom tax' will apply to cars emitting 161g/km or more. Some owners will benefit from a drop in VED: cars between 121-130g/km by £30, for example
- £84m has been put aside to repair potholes. However, it is estimated it will cost £800m to solve the issue
- £25m will go to the 'Managed Motorways' initiative to open up hard shoulders during peak times, reducing congestion
- Rule out the introduction of national road pricing in the next parliament
- Targeted motorway widening including on the M25
- Create 100,000 electric vehicle charging points by 2015
- Support tram schemes and light-rail projects in major cities
- Give more councils London-style powers to regulate bus services if providers are not 'serving communities well'
Conservatives
- Oppose road-pricing, but leader David Cameron admitted he may have to introduce road tolls on new roads
- Introduce 'Fair Fuel Stabiliser' to reduce fuel duty as oil prices rise and increase it as oil prices fall
- Introduce incentives for electricity network operators to establish a national electric car recharging network
- Stop funding new fixed speed cameras and switch to 'better' road safety measures
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats have been vocal on a long-term to a revenue-neutral road-user pricing scheme on motorways and trunk roads
- Switch freight traffic from road to rail by investing in rail improvement, paid for by cutting major roads budget
- Committed in the long-term to a revenue-neutral road-user pricing scheme on motorways and trunk roads
The Green Party
- Block any more major new roads
- Reduce speed limits to 20mph in built-up areas and 55mph on motorways
- Increase road fuel tax by 8% per year
- Support the principle of road charging for motorised vehicles
- Replace vehicle excise duty with a tax that penalises 'over-sized or over-powered' vehicles
UKIP
- Invest an extra £3bn per year in the UK's transport infrastructure, building new bypasses and widening major roads
- Introduce a 'Britdisc' for foreign lorries using British roads
- Return government fuel tax 'windfalls' to motorists if oil prices rise above a set price
- Give residents a vote on speed cameras and remove them where they 'serve no use'
BNP
- Encourage the development of alternative transport fuels such as bio-diesel and hydrogen
- Introduce a tax on bulk transportation to force supermarkets to stock more local produce
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Having read all the policies, why not take part in our Election 2010 Special poll?