Fuel Tax Relief for Buses
Page 51
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
nETAILS of the scheme under which
bus operators can claim relief from the extra 6d, per gallon fuel duty imposed in the autumn budget have been sent by the Minister of Transport to the bus operators' associations and the London Transport Board, together with specimens of the instructions and forms required. Supplies of these documents will be sent by traffic area offices to all operators shortly.
The Minister is taking this action to facilitate introduction of the' scheme, subject to Parliamentary approval; he expects to put the necessary legislation before Parliament soon. Tax relief would be retrospective to November 12, 1964.
The scheme for the relief from the fuel tax increase, to be given on all stage services in town and country, has been agreed by a joint working party of representatives of the Ministry, the operators' associations and the L TB. • Operators would claim on the basis of the actual mileage run on stage services, divided by a factor corresponding to their mileage per gallon on stage operations; payment would be made at the rate of 6d. per gallon so calculated.
For large operators, this m.p.g. factor would be specially calculated. For small operators—to simplify the scheme still further—it would be at the standard rate of 10 m.p.g.
It was not considered possible to ba:;e the scheme directly on the actual amount of fuel used, because, for example, of the frequent interchange of vehicles between stage and other services.
The Minister is still considering the bus industry's request that certain services other than stage services should be included in the scheme, and will make known his comments later.