'Halve the fuel tax'
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I was very interested in the ideas of The Economic Development Committee for the Movement of Exports which were discussed by Janus (CM Feb. 12). I would suggest that all the heavily taxed road users should try to strengthen their unity and press for a reduction of the colossal burden of motor taxes. It should be realized that all motor taxes could be cut in half and there would still be ample money to 'double the roadbuilding programme. This could mean that the fuel tax would be 2s 3d per gal (11p) instead of 4s 6d per gal (23p) and the astronomical licence duty could be reduced almost to pre-Labour Government levels. However, commercial vehicle users should remember that private cars carry a 36 2/3 per cent purchase tax which can amount to several hundred pounds on quite a modest car. Surely 18 1/3 per cent would be a more reasonable level.
Britain does suffer from the most overcrowded and inadequate roads in the world but the real cause of this problem is that our use of transport land is completely out of step with present-day requirements. The worst aspect of this is the vast amount of derelict and little used land that is monopolized by the railways when it should be pressed into service to provide badly needed roads. Such duplicated main lines as the Midland and Great Central Railways are a colossal waste of valuable space and these should be paved over to provide supplementary motorways to relieve the pressure on the southern sections of M1 motorway which will become even more overcrowded once the Midland links of M6 have been completed.
A. I. WATK I NSON, Harrogate