The problems of VED
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In reply to the letter "Dear Minister" in CM 26 June-2 July. As a result of a previous letter from the Department of Transport I can suggest the main reason they will give for not doing this is that they need the VED application forms to know who is the registered keeper of every vehicle However, this does not stop the fraudulent/illegal use of vehicles. Isn't it time for a better system that is easier to enforce and that is less labour intensive? Could not the register be amended only when a vehicle changes ownership? The law-abiding owner will still comply and it will not make any difference to everybody else.
Can anybody give an accurate figure of what the net income from VED is? If all the items such as security printing of the "disc', the printing and posting of reminders, the VLO/Post Office staff administration time are taken into account, I cannot see it being a large amount.
Taxation on the use of the vehicle rather than the ownership should encourage people not to use vehicles except when necessary. It would easily solve the "Green" tax everybody wants to introduce. In the case of driving into a city centre, fuel used sitting in a traffic jam would be being paid for. I foresee that charging for the use of a particular road will only lead to all the other roads becoming jammed as people avoid the toll booths. The long-term outlook, therefore, is that all roads would be tolled.
Richard Gurney, Birmingham.