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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Vicar's anger over road tax rise | Vicar's anger over road tax rise |
| (about 18 hours later) | |
| A vicar has hit out at plans to raise car tax for "gas guzzling" vehicles, saying ministers "haven't got a clue" what it is like to be a poor motorist. | A vicar has hit out at plans to raise car tax for "gas guzzling" vehicles, saying ministers "haven't got a clue" what it is like to be a poor motorist. |
| The Reverend Peter Cook says he cannot afford to replace his nine-year-old 1600cc Nissan Primera, which faces a tax rise from £185 to £200 in 2010. | The Reverend Peter Cook says he cannot afford to replace his nine-year-old 1600cc Nissan Primera, which faces a tax rise from £185 to £200 in 2010. |
| The vicar says he uses his car to visit elderly and sick people around Bristol. | The vicar says he uses his car to visit elderly and sick people around Bristol. |
| "If you are a poorer driver you get clobbered all ways. Rich government ministers haven't got a clue," he said. | |
| Mr Cook spoke out after the influential Environmental Audit Committee of MPs urged the government to be bolder over its plans to increase car tax for the highest polluting vehicles. | Mr Cook spoke out after the influential Environmental Audit Committee of MPs urged the government to be bolder over its plans to increase car tax for the highest polluting vehicles. |
| I can't afford to replace my car, which is 10 years old next year and the road tax will go up to £200 Peter CookHanham Baptist Church | I can't afford to replace my car, which is 10 years old next year and the road tax will go up to £200 Peter CookHanham Baptist Church |
| The changes will increase the number of payment bands for cars made since 2001 from seven to 13, with the maximum tax for vehicles with the most emissions being £455 for 2009/10, while owners of the least polluting will pay zero. | The changes will increase the number of payment bands for cars made since 2001 from seven to 13, with the maximum tax for vehicles with the most emissions being £455 for 2009/10, while owners of the least polluting will pay zero. |
| Mr Cook, vicar at the Hanham Baptist Church in Bristol, said the tax hike was also hitting even older cars, like his P-reg Nissan which was registered before 2001. | Mr Cook, vicar at the Hanham Baptist Church in Bristol, said the tax hike was also hitting even older cars, like his P-reg Nissan which was registered before 2001. |
| Short journeys | Short journeys |
| There is not enough information on levels of emissions from pre-2001 cars, which are instead taxed according to two bands based on engine size - those which are under 1549cc and those over. | There is not enough information on levels of emissions from pre-2001 cars, which are instead taxed according to two bands based on engine size - those which are under 1549cc and those over. |
| Cars under the threshold will keep the £120 annual fee in 2009/10, while those over will rise to £200. | Cars under the threshold will keep the £120 annual fee in 2009/10, while those over will rise to £200. |
| The knock-on effect, says Mr Cook, is he is increasingly having to dip into his own pocket to pay for his pastoral work as a minister. | The knock-on effect, says Mr Cook, is he is increasingly having to dip into his own pocket to pay for his pastoral work as a minister. |
| Government ministers get new cars on a regular basis and don't know what it is like to struggle to replace their cars Peter Cook "As a vicar I do quite a lot of visiting people, which saves the government a lot of money. | Government ministers get new cars on a regular basis and don't know what it is like to struggle to replace their cars Peter Cook "As a vicar I do quite a lot of visiting people, which saves the government a lot of money. |
| "I can't afford to replace my car, which is 10 years old next year, and the road tax will go up to £200. | "I can't afford to replace my car, which is 10 years old next year, and the road tax will go up to £200. |
| "If you are a poorer driver you get clobbered all ways. I get taxed three times: the tax on the fuel that's going up, the increased road tax and when I use the car for business, I get taxed again. | "If you are a poorer driver you get clobbered all ways. I get taxed three times: the tax on the fuel that's going up, the increased road tax and when I use the car for business, I get taxed again. |
| "I do the usual cups of tea thing that vicars do, but more importantly, I visit people in hospices, in hospitals, people with mental health problems who have no-one to talk to, people who are sick, with marriage problems and so on. | "I do the usual cups of tea thing that vicars do, but more importantly, I visit people in hospices, in hospitals, people with mental health problems who have no-one to talk to, people who are sick, with marriage problems and so on. |
| "I am on the edge of Bristol, so I mostly make quite short journeys, but it can take more than an hour each way to get to Southmead Hospital." | "I am on the edge of Bristol, so I mostly make quite short journeys, but it can take more than an hour each way to get to Southmead Hospital." |
| Motorbike move | Motorbike move |
| But the married father-of-three said he could not see the road tax rises stopping his work. | But the married father-of-three said he could not see the road tax rises stopping his work. |
| "It just comes straight off the income to support my family," he said. | "It just comes straight off the income to support my family," he said. |
| "More and more I am paying to visit people. The government has us over a barrel, really. | "More and more I am paying to visit people. The government has us over a barrel, really. |
| "I understand that they want to keep things like allowances down for the reps who do a lot more mileage, but they replace their cars every three years or so for new ones. | "I understand that they want to keep things like allowances down for the reps who do a lot more mileage, but they replace their cars every three years or so for new ones. |
| "Government ministers get new cars on a regular basis and don't know what it is like to struggle to replace their cars." | "Government ministers get new cars on a regular basis and don't know what it is like to struggle to replace their cars." |
| Engine size | Engine size |
| Mr Cook said he agreed with efforts to help the environment. | Mr Cook said he agreed with efforts to help the environment. |
| "I have bought a second-hand motorbike to cut some of the emissions down, but you can't take people to hospital on the back of a motorbike," he said. | "I have bought a second-hand motorbike to cut some of the emissions down, but you can't take people to hospital on the back of a motorbike," he said. |
| "We try to do our bit and reduce our mileage. I could cycle but it would vastly reduce the number of visits I do." | "We try to do our bit and reduce our mileage. I could cycle but it would vastly reduce the number of visits I do." |
| The Treasury says the new plans would encourage people to use more environmentally friendly cars and save 1.3m tonnes of CO2 by 2020. | The Treasury says the new plans would encourage people to use more environmentally friendly cars and save 1.3m tonnes of CO2 by 2020. |
| "We set out the position very clearly in the Budget," said a spokesman. | "We set out the position very clearly in the Budget," said a spokesman. |
| "Rates for pre-2001 cars will continue to be based on engine size," he said. | "Rates for pre-2001 cars will continue to be based on engine size," he said. |
| "Taking account of inflation, drivers of these cars will still pay less than in 1997, and some will see a decrease in inflation terms." | "Taking account of inflation, drivers of these cars will still pay less than in 1997, and some will see a decrease in inflation terms." |