[OT] - Fuel Taxation

[Chris.Smith at raytheon.co.uk]

Hi,

Sorry to commit a mortal sin and post a forwarding on this list,
but this affects us all here in the uk (esp. the lucky people
going to Oxford):-

Also, please actually read this if you have a couple of minutes
to spare!

Cheers,

- Chris

> HOW MUCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>Subject: Fuel Tax
>
>If you feel strongly enough about it - DO SOMETHING!
>
>Please read this e-mail, and pass it on to anyone who you think may be=

>interested. This is very important!
>
>Fact 1
>When the petrol price was hiked in America last year, that's precisely=

>what they did. Nobody bought petrol for a day. The loss of revenue was=

>crippling for some of the big players. They rallied round and forced t=
he
prices
>down again.
>
>Fact 2
>If you live in the UK, you are taxed at 85% on your petrol. Petrol is
>now approaching 84.90 per litre. That's nearly =A34 a gallon. For ever=
y =A350
>fill-up, you're just giving the government =A343 out of your own pocke=
t.
>
>Fact 3
>For the average family, a 1p increase per litre in the cost of fuel
>means an extra =A3100 a year out of their pocket. Work it out for your=
self.
In
>the weeks leading up to mid June, you all took a salary cut of around =
=A3700
>a year.
>
>Fact 4
>Fuel duty has little to do with the environment. Leaded petrol was
>supposedly taxed highly for environmental reasons. Why
>  then, when it was replaced with LRP did the price not come down?  LP=
G
>is the cleanest fuel there is but you don't see the government promoti=
ng
>that do you?
>
>Fact 5
>38billion is sucked out of motorist's pockets each year in tax.  You
>buy the planet's most expensive petrol, but do you see that money goin=
g
>back into the roads? No you do not. A recent study pointed out that mo=
st
of
>Britain's roads are up to 15 years beyond their structural refurbishme=
nt
>date.
>
>Fact 6
>Freight companies are suffering - so is our trade with the EU. When a
>haulage company has to fill it's tanks with diesel taxed at such a
>ridiculous rate, it's running costs become so expensive that companies=

>take their business to haulage firms based on the continent. That in t=
urn
>means a loss of income for our country.
>
>Fact 7
>Public transport is not an option. Buses and coaches become more
>expensive again because of the underlying cost of running them. The
privatised
>rail and bus companies continue to slash services and close branch rou=
tes
>because running them is not "cost effective." i.e.  the shareholders
aren't
>getting their dividends. And the government are doing nothing about
>it. Rail companies have been under performing and missing targets as
stipulated
>by their contracts ever since privatisation. Yet they're all still in
business.
>
>  So Act!
>
>  There is no major organisation that represents the British driver
>when it comes to matters of fuel duty. The government are bleeding
motorists
>dry.  Why? Because they can. As long as public apathy continues, and w=
e
keep
>paying ludicrous prices for our petrol, the government will keep layin=
g on
>the tax.
>
>Starting on Tuesday, August 1st 2000, BOYCOTT THE FORECOURT PUMPS ON
>THE 1ST OF EVERY MONTH UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT ACTS AND
CUTS THE TAX.    Don't buy any petrol or diesel.
>
>Spread the word and force the government to listen. For once, let's
>stand up with a unified voice and make them understand that we will no=

longer
>be quietly steamrollered into a transport system that's crumbling unde=
r
>our feet whilst we pay for it through the nose.  Tell them you have ha=
d
>enough of Rip-Off Britain.
>
>If you work in a petrol station and support us:  I suggest you start
printing on
> the receipts how much your punters just paid in tax. If people start
getting
>receipts that read =A340 (=A332=3Dtax), then they'll start to take not=
ice.
>
>  Official website: http://www.speed-trap.co.uk/boycott=