The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

[MissFM]

Re: The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

Magic! Thank you Tools! (Now I'll be told off....)

[Wombats]

Re: The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

From personal experience they also throw innocent motorcylists under oncoming Transit vans, and yes, it did hurt when I regained consciousness! :tinysmile_aha_t:

[dogtired]

Re: The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

We live in the sticks as well, nearest petrol five miles away.
Ok so we would moan about the cost but still think adding it to fuel is a good idea.
Every one needs fuel and it would curb those, like a neighbour, whos teen age son, and he, have a car that is not even registered, I know, I checked, so doubt if it is even insured etc.
He goes out in it regularly, no cameras until you get to the petrol station.
And what if we chose not to pay by DD?
Asked at the PO last week when we got the " last" six months for our car, they seemed to be still uncertain if we could still pay over the counter.

[bluebottle]

Re: The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

Loving the comments and views, keep them coming.

To answer a few points so far, scrapping road tax and imposing an additional levy on fuel isn't an option, it has far reaching consequences way beyond penalising low use drivers and VED exempt vehicles such as Disabled drivers and historic vehicles.

The biggest issue with that idea is the road transport industry, the additional costs of running heavy goods vehicles, one simple example (there are many others) is the supermarket delivery lorry. Any increase in fuel cost dramatically affects the prices of goods on the shelves, and would penalise everyone at the checkout. The detriment to industry and the already fragile economy would be devastating, so that rules out that idea.

Figures estimate (so far as they can be accurate with the DVLA's track record of incompetence) that of the approx 35 million vehicles on the UK roads, approximately 6% are being driven either unlicensed, untaxed, uninsured, or do not have a valid MOT certificate, that's 2.1 million.

Should we be paying extra on our fuel, shopping etc for these? Or do we encourage measures such as the new VED scheme that will reduce that number, even if only in a small way. Yes there will be cock ups by the DVLA, that's a given, but having that bank statement showing a DD going out is one extra bit of evidence to throw back at them rather than hunting around for that post office receipt. It should also reduce the number of people receiving letters for a vehicles they sold 2 years ago.

Recently, the big supermarket chains - ASDA, Morrisons, Sainsburys and Tesco - announced they were scrapping plans for large out-of-town superstores and hypermarkets to concentrate on their convenience stores. I cannot speak for how ASDA, Sainsburys and Tesco intend to supply their convenience stores, but Morrisons have devised a system whereby they have one or two large stores in a large town or city which acts as a distribution centre for the convenience stores in the surrounding area. An articulated lorry delivers stock for the large stores and convenience stores to the large stores and, then, staff at the large store deliver stock to the convenience stores using a panel van, e.g. Citroen Relay, on an "as required" basis. This has the benefit of reducing the number of drops the articulated vehicles have to make and because the panel vans run on lighter, cheaper fuel, can be driven on a car driver's licence and get into place articulated vehicles cannot, due to their size, there are other benefits as well.

[Tools]

Re: The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

We live in the sticks as well, nearest petrol five miles away.
Ok so we would moan about the cost but still think adding it to fuel is a good idea.
Every one needs fuel and it would curb those, like a neighbour, whos teen age son, and he, have a car that is not even registered, I know, I checked, so doubt if it is even insured etc.
He goes out in it regularly, no cameras until you get to the petrol station.
And what if we chose not to pay by DD?
Asked at the PO last week when we got the " last" six months for our car, they seemed to be still uncertain if we could still pay over the counter.

Point 1. You would moan more when the price of goods went up too.
Point 2. Report it.
Point 3. Yes you will still be able to pay over the counter at the Post Office, alternatively you could pay by card online.

[Tools]

Re: The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

Recently, the big supermarket chains - ASDA, Morrisons, Sainsburys and Tesco - announced they were scrapping plans for large out-of-town superstores and hypermarkets to concentrate on their convenience stores. I cannot speak for how ASDA, Sainsburys and Tesco intend to supply their convenience stores, but Morrisons have devised a system whereby they have one or two large stores in a large town or city which acts as a distribution centre for the convenience stores in the surrounding area. An articulated lorry delivers stock for the large stores and convenience stores to the large stores and, then, staff at the large store deliver stock to the convenience stores using a panel van, e.g. Citroen Relay, on an "as required" basis. This has the benefit of reducing the number of drops the articulated vehicles have to make and because the panel vans run on lighter, cheaper fuel, can be driven on a car driver's licence and get into place articulated vehicles cannot, due to their size, there are other benefits as well.

Yes BB I had read about that too, makes perfect sense IMO. A typical HGV does no more than about 12 mpg whereas you quite rightly say a smaller panel van would probably do mid 30's/gallon. The fuel itself isn't cheaper, but they would certainly be using less of it.

[bizzybob]

Re: The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

Yes BB I had read about that too, makes perfect sense IMO. A typical HGV does no more than about 12 mpg whereas you quite rightly say a smaller panel van would probably do mid 30's/gallon. The fuel itself isn't cheaper, but they would certainly be using less of it.

8 mpg for many of them, Sprinters at 3.5 tonne around 27mpg on deliveries

[dogtired]

Re: The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

1.Prices all time the two nearest petrol ( Tesco and independant) are identical and always about 2 pence dearer than the ones closer to the nearest city.
2 . DCA say you can report anonymously but ask for address etc, if I did , we are his closest neighbour and he would " know" it was us.
3. Thank you thats at least some good news

[Tools]

Re: The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

DT,

1 The price increases I mentioned were for goods other than fuel, such as your weekly shop and other goods
2 There are ways and means, be creative, PM me
3 Many would still prefer to support their local Post Office, they are vital to communities and rely on people using their services to fend off closure.

[dogtired]

Re: The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

1) Yes I know prices in the smaller local shops are always slightly higher anyway.
2) Will do, what do you need to know ?
3) Will support our local post office for sure.

DT,

1 The price increases I mentioned were for goods other than fuel, such as your weekly shop and other goods
2 There are ways and means, be creative, PM me
3 Many would still prefer to support their local Post Office, they are vital to communities and rely on people using their services to fend off closure.

[Wombats]

Re: The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

I can sympathise DT. Many in our village are either 'hobbling' (working while claiming benefits for cash in hand), claiming for two properties when living as couples, driving uninsured, driving unlicensed, driving on red diesel. The entire culture is get away with what you can - even our local councillor's a blatant liar, the whole issue of dishonesty pervades the community.

What do you do when you see it on such a scale? You can't report everyone. What makes it even more mad is someone reported me and I was investigated yet I don't even claim any benefits. It's strange living in a place where the people are mostly great, really friendly, would do anything for you, BUT are doing lots of naughty things.

[bizzybob]

Re: The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

I can sympathise DT. Many in our village are either 'hobbling' (working while claiming benefits for cash in hand), claiming for two properties when living as couples, driving uninsured, driving unlicensed, driving on red diesel. The entire culture is get away with what you can - even our local councillor's a blatant liar, the whole issue of dishonesty pervades the community.

What do you do when you see it on such a scale? You can't report everyone. What makes it even more mad is someone reported me and I was investigated yet I don't even claim any benefits. It's strange living in a place where the people are mostly great, really friendly, would do anything for you, BUT are doing lots of naughty things.

Similar to many urban estates then.

[des8]

Re: The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

Similar to previous times when whole villages conspired against the excise men.
It is endemic in our culture from Westminster, through the middle classes cheating to get children into the chosen school, through to those claiming benefits.
Referred to it briefly on a recent insurance thread where cheating on claims is regarded as normal, but also where insurers hide behind CMCs to avoid paying just claims.
Perhaps I get a lopsided view of the world by reading LB too often

[Wombats]

Re: The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

I think the issue with villages like ours is that it is such a close knit community, in many ways a good thing - children can 'play out' relatively safely and we'll all watch out for each others to make sure no harm comes their way, a trip to the local shop two minutes up the road is a social outing more than a trip to get a reel of cotton or whatever, in many ways it's like rolling back time to the 50's which I rather like.

What I don't like is seeing the abuse of the system (about which many of the villagers are the very first to complain when an MP is caught fiddling expenses or similar) and feeling impotent to do anything. Many don't realise that what they are doing by doing their 'hobbles' or claiming for two properties when they know they actually live together in reality etc.... is just as wrong.

Getting back to the topic, when this goes as far as uninsured and unlicensed drivers being on the road they are actively endangering lives, often those of the very community in which they live and about which they are so protective. Anything which can stop this is a good thing in my eyes.

[panther12]

Re: The End Of The Road For The Paper Tax Disc

Yes Panther, it is the Beta test. Much better in my opinion and have completed the survey to say so.

Looks like that Beta site doesn't update the MoT status at the same time as the other site. My MoT ran out end of last week but today had it done and passed. It's still showing as MoT expired on the beta site but is updated on the other directgov site.