A top campaigner has promised to “fight tooth and nail” against the introduction of a pay-per-mile car tax system.
FairFuelUK founder and Reform UK Mayor of London hopeful Howard Cox described the idea of a per-mile car tax charge as simply a “big brother cash grab”.
It comes after recent calls for certain motorists to be slapped with charges depending on how far they travel with those using their cars more often paying extra.
Ahead of the Spring Budget, the Campaign for Better Transport suggested electric vehicles should pay 2p per km to use the roads to generate lost fuel duty revenue.
The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee recently ruled that road taxation needed to be “fundamentally redesigned”.
They suggested road pricing as an option for development but some campaigners are still against the scheme.
Howard told Express.co.uk: “It’s simple, let clean fuel technology and a free market dictate what are the best transport choices.
“No draconian bans or being forced into less than green EVs. Let fuel duty taxation continue by incentivising manufacturers to up their production on cleaner Euro 7 diesel v and petrol cars.
“I will fight tooth and nail being forced into a pay per mile big brother cash grab.”
Fuel duty is set to be the biggest issue in motoring at this afternoon’s Spring Budget with the Chancellor under pressure to freeze rates or make further cuts.
The 5p per litre discount applied back in May 2022 to help motorists through the cost of living crisis was expected to end later this month.
However, the Chancellor is likely to keep rates at the existing 52.95p with any increase likely to be seen as unpopular ahead of a General Election.
But, Howard has urged Mr Hunt to take further action as he aimed his sights at electric vehicle owners and cyclists.
EV owners are currently exempt from paying any road tax, one of the major incentives to switching to battery models.
This will change in April 2025 when EV owners will pay a minimal amount of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for the first time.
But Howard clearly wants further changes as he accused “smug” EV owners for damaging roads across the country.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Howard explained: “But it is indeed time for smug EV drivers to pay for the upkeep of roads, they too, are damaging due to the weight of their heavy batteries.
“Oh and cyclists should also pay to use the roads when they are not illegally cycling on pavements.”
