PRA slams government road pricing proposal

The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) has reacted with a mixture of horror and dismay to the suggestion that road pricing could be introduced to cover the loss of revenue from fuel taxation when petrol and diesel cars are phased out. PRA chairman Brian Madderson said: “We are deeply concerned about the government’s potential road pricing proposals. It is unfathomable that the government would introduce a measure that would only succeed in discriminating against the poorest in society.

“Public transport infrastructure in rural communities is near non-existent, with millions solely relying on their private vehicles to travel. If the regressive road pricing ‘poll-tax like’ regime came into force, those living in rural areas on low incomes would be hit the hardest as it could become unaffordable to run a car. This method of taxation has already been rejected by the British public in 2007 when proposed by the Labour government, so it is startling to see that these proposals are even being considered.

“There has been a clear lack of consideration to the inflationary hit to goods and services. 100 per cent of fresh food is moved by road, along with over 80 per cent of all other goods. It will be the consumer that has to bear the brunt of any increased transport costs.”

The PRA propose that cyclists and other road users should also be included in any pay-by-the-mile approach and they pay the same rate as petrol and diesel vehicles, as a tiered pricing system would be wholly discriminatory.

The PRA represents the independent forecourt operators across the UK which number about 5,350 or over 65 per cent of the total fuel outlets (PFS).