Food for Thought: Should Cyclists Pay Road Tax?

Ricochet J

Ricochet J

Ricochet J

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Motorists pay road Tax to use the UK road network. Out of this road Tax I presume the cost to maintain the roads is taken out.
Cyclists use the roads and cycle lanes on the road. They too also contribute to the daily wear and tear of the roads.
Should cyclists contribute to the road Tax system?
Granted they will not use motorways as such so a more lenient amount perhaps?
 
The wear on the road from a bicycle is pretty much non-existent. Road tax is based on emissions which bicycles do notproduce. Certain cars with low enough emissions are also exempt from road tax.
 
I cant imagine bikes causing much damage to the roads.

Maybe if everyone started using a bike theyd charge some sort of tax for the privilage of using the roads but I doubt it would be as much as car tax.
 
Wear and tear must be negligible compared to cars/lorries, so just leaves development of cycle routes + signs (isn't that local councils responsibility anyway?). Cost of administering it would outweigh the tax, and government wants to encourage/appear "green", so no way it would happen. ever.
 
Perhaps, but at a massively reduced rate.

However:

How do you propose to administer it? Who will collect it? Will you license bikes? What about children's bikes?
 
Yes, but not much, considerably less than motorcycles even. However to get the road tax they should need insurance and they should display a licence plate of some description on the bike.
 
A better question is whether they should have insurance and be held liable for accidents/injuries they cause.

My answer is yes.
 
Dolph said:
A better question is whether they should have insurance and be held liable for accidents/injuries they cause.

My answer is yes.
Click to expand...

I think that's a more pertinent issue, though equally difficult to administer without licensing cycle usage and ownership.
 
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