3p fuel duty increase frozen

George Osborne scrapped a 3p rise in fuel duty yesterday in yet another Budget U-turn. The Chancellor said the decision, which has generally been greeted with delight by motoring groups, reflected the “very difficult economic times.” An earlier duty rise in January had previously been axed and the latest freeze reportedly knocks £2.10 off the cost of filling up a typical family car, according to the Daily Mail.

Nevertheless, despite the late-breaking news of scrapping the fuel duty increase, hours earlier drivers’ association ABD criticised the government for treating motorists like a cash cow.

The Association of British Drivers says that Transport Secretary and train commuter, Justine Greening, has shown how out of touch she is with Britain’s 44 million motorists by suggesting in The Daily Telegraph that motorists should be paying more to help clear Britain’s deficit.

The ABD further adds that she also gives further backing to what it describes as the ‘white elephant’ HS2 – the proposed high speed rail link between London and the Midlands

ABD Chairman Brian Gregory comments: “Does Ms Greening not understand? Britain’s drivers already donate an out of proportion and excessive sum to the nation’s coffers, subsidising all manner of things like her beloved HS2 project. By excessively taxing movement of the nation’s workforce she is not helping repay the deficit, she is stifling the economy. If she were to scrap HS2 the £32 billion could be used to stimulate the economy by removing VAT altogether from road fuel for the next eight years or even cutting 40 per cent off road fuel prices for the next four years. The resultant growth could get us out of this mess.”